Issue #19859 has been updated by matz (Yukihiro Matsumoto). Status changed from Open to Closed We have picked that pair (inspired by Java). Adding infinite number of variation seems not to be a good idea. Matz. ---------------------------------------- Feature #19859: Start & Finish, Begin & End https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/issues/19859#change-104577 * Author: thoran (thoran not blank) * Status: Closed * Priority: Normal ---------------------------------------- In English "start" is paired with "finish" and "begin" is paired with "end". While "start" and "begin", and "finish" and "end" have similar meanings they are not the same. Hence it should be: `String#begin_with?` & `String#end_with?` or maybe `String#start_with?` & `String#finish_with?` or both; but not certainly not `String#start_with?` & `String#end_with?` as it is presently. Further, I would argue that it should be only `String#begin_with?` & `String#end_with?` because "start" and "finish" imply temporality and strings don't have that connotation. Hence the solution here for me would be to: `/String#start_with?/String#begin_with?/`. If however there is a desire to retain interface compatibility and to adhere to TMTOWTDI, then introduce both: `String#begin_with?` and `String#finish_with?` -- https://bugs.ruby-lang.org/