'methylphenidate' is a coined chemical/drug name formed from the element 'methyl-' (the chemical methyl group) and 'phenidate', a component element referring to a phenyl-containing moiety and an ester/amine-derived suffix used in medicinal chemistry.

'methylphenidate' was coined in mid-20th century medicinal chemistry to name the specific stimulant molecule; it later became the established nonproprietary/common name for the drug marketed commercially (e.g., as 'Ritalin').

Initially it functioned primarily as a systematic chemical descriptor of a molecule's structure; over time it came to be used as the common drug name referring to the medication and its clinical uses.