I noticed that as well. `!` has been nicknamed "bang" for a long time (hence "shebang" for `#!` notation)

http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/B/bang.html

The term likely comes from max/msp, which has a “bang” message with a similar function.

Agree with bang, but I call "*" star or asterisk.

I thought the splat was ...