I don't mind C# not using that name because .Where doesn't actually filter the object, it returns an IQueryable, which you can chain further statements onto, then filter.

Not sure why this is getting downvoted, that's what it's called in most other languages.

Nah, it's spelled Select: http://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_where.asp

(but academics like non-human-friendly terms, sure)

The LINQ API is modeled after relational algebra (where `Select` acts as projection, and `Where` acts as selection, etc.), which is as good a basis for operations on collections as anything. It is not even clear that other popular names have precedent, let alone especially useful expressive power beyond what normal relational algebras afford.

Besides that, one of the early intents behind LINQ was to allow a language-integrated ORM, so LINQ's choices for names are actually extremely appropriate.