U is the twenty-first letter in the modern Latin alphabet. Its name in English is spelled u . History During the late Middle Ages, two forms of v or u developed, which were both used for modern u and v. The pointed form v was written at the beginning of a word, while a rounded form u was used in the middle or end, regardless of sound. So whereas valor and excuse appeared as in modern printing, though have and upon were printed haue and vpon. Eventually, in the 1700s, to differentiate between th… (More on U)