Here's why:
* Origin: The term "Romance" comes from the Roman Empire, as these languages evolved from Vulgar Latin, the spoken language of the Roman people.
* Commonality: While there are variations within the group, these languages share a common ancestor and exhibit significant similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and syntax.
* Familiarity: "Romance languages" is the most recognized and established term used by linguists and the general public.
While "Romance languages" is the most common term, you might encounter other names like:
* Latin languages: This term focuses on the origin of the languages, but can be misleading as it doesn't encompass all Romance languages.
* Neo-Latin languages: This term emphasizes the languages' status as successors to Latin, but it's less common than "Romance languages."
Ultimately, "Romance languages" is the most accurate and widely understood term for this group of languages.