I was wondering why wars like the Seven Years War (9 years) and the Hundred Years War (116 years) were named after a shorter length of time than they actually were. I know sometimes these wars can be referred to with alternate names (i.e., French and Indian War), but why do these names stick (at least in the US)?
The French and Indian War commonly refers to the American theatre of the Seven Years War. But the French and Indian War indeed began two years before hostilities broke out in Europe.