The Answer:

This isn't the first time we've been asked this question—we have the sneaking suspicion that the advent of email has something to do with the sudden curiosity.

I'm afraid, though, that the answer isn't quite as interesting as "ampersand," or even "asterisk." The "@" sign—commonly referred to as the "at sign"—is officially called the "commercial 'at'". It was a bit of a disappointment to us, too. But we hope this helps.

—The Editors