If I understand correctly, iota fills a data structure with a range of incrementing values. ...at the risk of sounding ignorant (perhaps I should be embarrasse

If I understand correctly, iota fills a data structure with a range of incrementing values. ...at the risk of sounding ignorant (perhaps I should be embarrassed?) why is iota a clearer name than, say, range? I do have to admit upfront that I've not spent overly much time on APL because in my day to day programming life, it's merely a historical curiosity that required a special keyboard. Also, the author's assumption that a senior software developer should have studied a lecture from 1979 (that runs to 380ish pages) as a matter of course is, well, bloody odd. I've read Joe Armstrong's dissertation on Erlang from cover to cover because it was relevant to me. Can I now assert that any senior developer who has not should be embarrassed?