Question regarding historical basics

Have been searching for answer to this question for some time:

Why is DC called so? Surely the first experimenters with static and galvanic and battery electricity didn't use that term. A distinction was necessary, or useful, only when AC was discovered. Therefore, why was not battery electric flow called "regular", basic","steady", or some such? What does "direct" describe?

 

According to Wikipedia, direct current was previously called galvanic current. I agree that "direct" is not very descriptive. How about "unidirectional"?

 

Or unipolar current. I would bet that until AC (alternating current does make sense) came along, it was just electricity. DC rolls off the tongue a bit better, and compares with AC.

 

Direct as in one way from one point to another?

Dave

 

Direct from Herr Doktor Siemen's Markgrafenstrasse facility to you!