As I recall it, even 1.0 was always referred to as .NET Framework. There was a million .NET "brands" from Microsoft when .NET Framework launched. .NET was the overall "initiative" and .NET Framework was only one in that "portfolio". Then Microsoft got bored with most of the other ".NET brands" and .NET Framework was last .NET standing. It wasn't until 2.0 or so that I recall people felt safe calling .NET Framework just ".NET" without feeling confused about other .NET branded things. Microsoft's own branding advice never dropped "Framework" from .NET Framework even deep into the 4.x timeframe so long divorced from "the initiative" and no other remaining uses of .NET as a brand.