Battery names can describe a battery’s physical size, chemistry, shape, voltage, construction, or a combination of these characteristics. Some familiar names, such as AA and AAA, are standardized size designations, while names such as CR2032, LR44, and 18650 contain information about the battery itself.
The tables below explain what common battery names and codes mean and where each battery is typically used.
How Battery Names Work
Several letters appear repeatedly in standardized battery names:
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| LR | Alkaline round battery |
| R | Manganese or zinc-carbon round battery |
| CR | Lithium manganese dioxide round battery |
| FR | Lithium iron disulfide round battery |
| BR | Lithium carbon monofluoride round battery |
| SR | Silver oxide round battery |
| PR | Zinc-air round battery |
| HR | Nickel-metal hydride rechargeable round battery |
| KR | Nickel-cadmium rechargeable round battery |
Numbers may identify a standardized size or, in certain battery families, describe the battery’s approximate physical dimensions.
Common Cylindrical Battery Names
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| AAAA (LR8D425) | AAAA is a standardized size name; LR identifies the common alkaline round version. | Styluses, compact flashlights, medical devices. |
| AAA (LR03) | AAA is the size name; LR means alkaline round and 03 identifies the IEC AAA size. | Remotes, toys, clocks, small electronics. |
| AA (LR6) | AA is the standardized size; LR means alkaline round and 6 identifies the IEC AA size. | Toys, flashlights, controllers, household electronics. |
| 1/2 AA | Literally a cell approximately half the length of an AA battery. Lithium versions include CR14250 and other chemistries. | Memory backup, medical equipment, industrial electronics. |
| A (LR23) | A is a standardized cylindrical size; LR23 identifies an alkaline round version. | Specialty electronics and older battery packs. |
| B (LR12) | B is a standardized cylindrical size; LR12 identifies an alkaline round version. | Specialty and legacy equipment. |
| C (LR14) | C is the standardized size; LR means alkaline round and 14 identifies the C-size format. | Toys, radios, flashlights. |
| Sub-C | Means a cylindrical cell smaller than a full C-size battery. | Cordless tools and rechargeable battery packs. |
| D (LR20) | D is the standardized size; LR means alkaline round and 20 identifies the D-size format. | Large flashlights, radios, high-capacity devices. |
| F (LR25) | F is a standardized large cylindrical size; LR25 identifies the alkaline version. | Lantern batteries and specialty equipment. |
| N (LR1) | N is the standardized size; LR1 identifies the alkaline round version. | Small electronics, alarms, compact devices. |
| A21 | A21 is a common size designation; its 4LR932 code describes a battery made from four alkaline round cells. | Small remote-control and electronic devices. |
| A23 | A23 is a common size designation; 8LR932 describes eight small alkaline round cells in series. | Garage-door remotes, keyless entry systems, doorbells. |
| A27 | A27 is a common size designation; 8LR732 identifies its multi-cell alkaline construction. | Car alarm remotes and small RF devices. |
| BA5800 | BA5800/U is a military battery model designation rather than a simple chemistry abbreviation. | Military handheld electronics and navigation equipment. |
| Duplex (2R10) | 2 indicates two cells; R identifies round manganese cells and 10 identifies the size family. | Legacy equipment and specialty devices. |
| 4SR44 | 4 means four cells and SR identifies silver-oxide round cells. | Cameras, medical instruments, electronic training devices. |
Rectangular Battery Names
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5-Volt (3LR12) | 3LR12 indicates three alkaline cells combined to produce approximately 4.5 volts. | Flashlights and older European electronics. |
| 9-Volt / PP3 (6LR61) | PP3 means Power Pack No. 3; 6LR61 indicates six alkaline cells in the battery. | Smoke alarms, meters, audio equipment. |
| 6-Volt Lantern – Spring (4LR25Y) | 4LR25 identifies four alkaline LR25 cells; the suffix distinguishes the package configuration. | Lanterns and portable lighting. |
| 6-Volt Lantern – Screw (4LR25X) | Four alkaline LR25 cells in a package using screw-type terminals. | Industrial lighting and equipment exposed to vibration. |
| 6-Volt Big Lantern (4LR25-2) | A larger multi-cell package based on four LR25 cells. | Large lanterns and specialty equipment. |
| J (4LR61) | J is the common battery format name; 4LR61 indicates four alkaline LR61 cells. | Flat electronic devices and specialty equipment. |
Camera Battery Names
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| CR123A | CR means lithium manganese dioxide round cell; 123A identifies the standardized battery format. | Cameras, flashlights, security equipment. |
| CR2 | CR identifies lithium manganese dioxide chemistry and a round shape; 2 identifies the battery format. | Cameras and photographic equipment. |
| 2CR5 | 2CR indicates a multi-cell lithium manganese dioxide battery; 5 identifies the standardized package. | Film and digital cameras. |
| CR-P2 | CR identifies lithium manganese dioxide chemistry; P2 identifies the keyed battery format. | Cameras and photographic equipment. |
| CR-V3 | CR identifies lithium manganese dioxide chemistry; V3 identifies the battery package format. | Digital cameras and portable electronics. |
| CP1 | CP1 is a standardized prismatic camera-battery model rather than a simple chemistry abbreviation. | Compact digital cameras. |
| 7R31 | A legacy standardized cartridge designation rather than a plain-language battery acronym. | Older film cameras. |
Lithium Coin and Button Battery Names
For common four-digit CR cells, the numbers usually correspond closely to the battery’s dimensions. For example, a CR2032 is approximately 20 mm in diameter and 3.2 mm thick. C identifies manganese-dioxide lithium chemistry and R means round.
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| CR425 | CR means lithium manganese dioxide round cell; the size is approximately 4 × 25 mm. | Fishing floats, illuminated nocks, sensors, styluses. |
| CR927 | CR means lithium manganese dioxide round cell; approximately 9.5 × 2.7 mm. | Watches, toys, small LED electronics. |
| CR1025 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 10 × 2.5 mm. | Small electronic devices and memory backup. |
| CR1130 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 11.5 × 3.0 mm. | Key fobs, meters, compact electronics. |
| CR1216 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 12.5 × 1.6 mm. | Watches and small LED devices. |
| CR1220 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 12.5 × 2.0 mm. | Cameras, flashlights, memory backup. |
| CR1225 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 12.5 × 2.5 mm. | Small electronic devices. |
| CR1612 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 16 × 1.2 mm. | Thin watches and specialty electronics. |
| CR1616 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 16 × 1.6 mm. | Car remotes and game cartridges. |
| CR1620 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 16 × 2.0 mm. | Car remotes and watches. |
| CR1632 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 16 × 3.2 mm. | Keyless-entry remotes and compact electronics. |
| CR2012 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 1.2 mm. | Thin electronic devices. |
| CR2016 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 1.6 mm. | Watches, calculators, LED devices. |
| CR2020 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 2.0 mm. | Compact electronic devices. |
| CR2025 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 2.5 mm. | Watches, car remotes, key fobs. |
| CR2032 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 3.2 mm. | Motherboards, key fobs, trackers, remotes. |
| CR2040 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 4.0 mm. | Specialty electronics and memory backup. |
| CR2050 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 20 × 5.0 mm. | Higher-capacity compact electronics. |
| CR2320 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 23 × 2.0 mm. | Compact electronics and memory backup. |
| CR2325 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 23 × 2.5 mm. | Small electronic devices. |
| CR2330 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 23 × 3.0 mm. | Electronic controls and compact devices. |
| BR2335 | BR means lithium carbon monofluoride round cell; approximately 23 × 3.5 mm. | Long-life, low-drain electronic equipment. |
| CR2354 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 23 × 5.4 mm. | Higher-capacity compact electronics. |
| CR2412 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 24.5 × 1.2 mm. | Thin specialty electronics. |
| CR2430 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 24.5 × 3.0 mm. | Memory backup and electronic devices. |
| CR2450 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 24.5 × 5.0 mm. | Sensors, remotes, medical and portable devices. |
| CR2477 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 24.5 × 7.7 mm. | High-capacity compact electronics. |
| CR3032 | CR lithium round cell; approximately 30 × 3.2 mm. | Security devices, transmitters, memory backup. |
| CR11108 | CR identifies lithium manganese dioxide and a round shape; the extended size code represents approximately 11.6 × 10.8 mm. | Cameras and specialty electronics. |
Silver Oxide and Alkaline Button Battery Names
In these batteries, SR identifies a silver-oxide round cell, while LR identifies an alkaline round cell. The remaining numbers identify standardized size families or dimensions.
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| SR41 | SR means silver-oxide round cell; 41 identifies the size family. | Watches, calculators, compact electronics. |
| SR42 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR42 size family. | Watches and precision electronics. |
| SR43 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR43 size family. | Watches, calculators, instruments. |
| SR44 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR44 size family. | Cameras, watches, meters, medical devices. |
| SR45 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR45 size family. | Watches and compact electronics. |
| SR48 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR48 size family. | Watches and small electronic devices. |
| LR52 | LR means alkaline round cell; 52 identifies the battery size family. | Legacy and specialty electronics. |
| SR54 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR54 size family. | Watches and calculators. |
| SR55 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR55 size family. | Watches and compact electronics. |
| 365 / 366 (SR1116SW) | 365 and 366 are consumer cross-reference numbers; SR identifies the silver-oxide round format. | Watches and precision timepieces. |
| SR56 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR56 size family. | Legacy watches and instruments. |
| SR57 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR57 size family. | Watches, calculators, small electronics. |
| SR58 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR58 size family. | Watches and compact electronics. |
| SR59 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR59 size family. | Watches and calculators. |
| SR60 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR60 size family. | Small watches and electronic devices. |
| SR62 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR62 size family. | Miniature watches and electronics. |
| SR63 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR63 size family. | Small watches and compact devices. |
| SR64 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR64 size family. | Watches and miniature electronics. |
| SR65 | Silver-oxide round battery commonly cross-referenced as a 321-size watch cell. | Watches. |
| SR66 | Silver-oxide round button cell commonly associated with the 377 size. | Wristwatches. |
| SR67 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR67 family. | Watches and compact instruments. |
| SR68 | Silver-oxide round button cell in the SR68 family. | Watches and small electronics. |
| SR69 | Silver-oxide round button cell commonly associated with 370/371 sizes. | Watches and electronic instruments. |
| SR416 | SR means silver-oxide round cell; 416 identifies a very small standardized size. | Miniature watches. |
| SR512 | Silver-oxide round cell in a compact 512 format. | Small watches and precision electronics. |
| SR712 | Silver-oxide round cell in a thin 712 format. | Thin watches. |
| SR714 | Silver-oxide round cell in the 714 format. | Precision quartz watches. |
| SR731 | Silver-oxide round cell in the 731 format. | Watches and compact electronics. |
| LR932 | LR means alkaline round cell; 932 identifies the small button-cell size. | Often used as internal cells in multi-cell batteries. |
| LR9 | LR identifies an alkaline round battery; 9 is the standardized size designation. | Key fobs and small electronic devices. |
Zinc-Air Battery Names
Zinc-air button batteries frequently use simple consumer size numbers. Their IEC equivalents commonly begin with PR, identifying a zinc-air round cell.
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Size 5 | Consumer size number; IEC PR63 identifies the zinc-air round version. | Small hearing devices and specialty electronics. |
| Size 10 | Consumer size number; IEC PR70 identifies the zinc-air round battery. | Hearing aids. |
| Size 13 | Consumer size number; IEC PR48 identifies the zinc-air round battery. | Hearing aids. |
| Size 312 | Consumer size number; IEC PR41 identifies the zinc-air round battery. | Hearing aids. |
| Size 630 | Numeric zinc-air battery size designation. | Older hearing and specialty equipment. |
| Size 675 | Consumer size number; IEC PR44 identifies the zinc-air round battery. | Hearing aids and other higher-drain hearing devices. |
| AC41E | Product-format designation corresponding to a PR43 zinc-air cell. | Legacy hearing and specialty devices. |
Rechargeable Cylindrical Battery Names
Many rechargeable cylindrical cells use numerical names based on their approximate diameter and length in millimeters. An 18650, for example, is approximately 18 mm in diameter and 65 mm long, while a 21700 is approximately 21 mm by 70 mm.
Dimensions are nominal and can vary slightly by manufacturer, protective circuitry, terminals, or construction.
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| 75400 | Numeric cylindrical size code for approximately 7.5 × 40 mm. | Small rechargeable electronic devices. |
| 08570 | Numeric cylindrical size code for approximately 8.5 × 70 mm. | Narrow rechargeable devices. |
| 10180 | Approximately 10 × 18 mm; sometimes described as 1/3 AAA size. | Tiny flashlights. |
| 10280 | Approximately 10 × 28 mm; sometimes described as 2/3 AAA size. | Small flashlights. |
| 10440 | Approximately 10 × 44 mm and similar in size to AAA. | Rechargeable flashlights and small electronics. |
| 10750 | Approximately 10 × 75 mm. | Specialized miniature flashlights. |
| 10850 | Approximately 10 × 85 mm. | Pen-style flashlights and specialty devices. |
| 13400 | Approximately 13 × 40 mm. | Compact rechargeable electronic devices. |
| 14250 | Approximately 14 × 25 mm and similar to 1/2 AA size. | Compact flashlights and electronics. |
| 14300 | Approximately 14 × 30 mm. | Miniature rechargeable flashlights. |
| 14430 | Approximately 14 × 43 mm. | Compact rechargeable electronics. |
| 14500 | Approximately 14 × 50 mm and physically similar to AA size. | Flashlights and rechargeable electronics. |
| 14650 | Approximately 14 × 65 mm. | Specialty battery packs and electronics. |
| 15270 | Approximately 15 × 27 mm; commonly called RCR2. | Cameras, flashlights, compact electronics. |
| 16340 | Approximately 16 × 34 mm; commonly called RCR123A. | Flashlights and rechargeable electronics. |
| 16650 | Approximately 16 × 65 mm. | Specialty battery packs and portable devices. |
| 17500 | Approximately 17 × 50 mm and similar to an A-size cell. | Rechargeable packs and portable electronics. |
| 17650 | Approximately 17 × 65 mm. | Specialty rechargeable battery packs. |
| 17670 | Approximately 17 × 67 mm. | Flashlights and rechargeable devices. |
| 18350 | Approximately 18 × 35 mm. | Compact high-drain rechargeable devices. |
| 18490 | Approximately 18 × 49 mm. | Flashlights and specialty electronics. |
| 18500 | Approximately 18 × 50 mm. | Flashlights and rechargeable battery packs. |
| 18650 | Approximately 18 × 65 mm. | Laptops, power tools, e-bikes, flashlights, battery packs. |
| 20700 | Approximately 20 × 70 mm. | High-drain battery packs and portable devices. |
| 21700 | Approximately 21 × 70 mm. | Electric vehicles, e-bikes, tools, energy-storage systems. |
| 25500 | Approximately 25 × 50 mm. | Specialty high-capacity rechargeable packs. |
| 26350 | Approximately 26 × 35 mm. | Flashlights, doorbells, shavers, specialty devices. |
| 26500 | Approximately 26 × 50 mm and similar to C-cell dimensions. | Larger rechargeable electronics. |
| 26650 | Approximately 26 × 65 mm. | Flashlights, battery packs, hobby equipment. |
| 26700 | Approximately 26 × 70 mm. | LiFePO4 battery packs. |
| 26800 | Approximately 26 × 80 mm. | E-bikes, flashlights, larger rechargeable devices. |
| 32600 | Approximately 32 × 60 mm and similar to D-cell dimensions. | Large rechargeable equipment. |
| 32650 | Approximately 32 × 65 mm. | Large flashlights and battery packs. |
| 32700 | Approximately 32 × 70 mm. | LiFePO4 battery packs and storage applications. |
| 32140 | Approximately 32 × 140 mm. The example in this size is a sodium-ion cell rather than lithium-ion. | Large-format sodium-ion applications. |
| 33140 | Approximately 33 × 140 mm. | LiFePO4 portable power and storage systems. |
| 38120 | Approximately 38 × 120 mm. | E-bikes, scooters, backup power and storage systems. |
| 38140 | Approximately 38 × 140 mm. | E-bikes and large rechargeable battery packs. |
| 40146 | Approximately 40 × 146 mm. | Large LiFePO4 battery systems. |
| 40152 | Approximately 40 × 152 mm. | Large-format LiFePO4 storage systems. |
| 40174 | Approximately 40 × 174 mm. | Large LiFePO4 battery systems. |
| 4680 | Approximately 46 × 80 mm. | Large-format electric-vehicle battery packs. |
| 4695 | Approximately 46 × 95 mm. | Vehicle and high-capacity battery packs. |
| 46100 | Approximately 46 × 100 mm. | Automotive battery systems. |
| 46120 | Approximately 46 × 120 mm. | Automotive battery systems. |
| 66160 | Approximately 66 × 160 mm. | Discontinued large-format rechargeable applications. |
Obsolete and Legacy Battery Names
Some older battery names were created for equipment that is now uncommon or obsolete. Others are named directly for their voltage or their historical role in electronic circuits.
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| 523 | Legacy battery model number; commonly associated with a 3LR50 multi-cell construction. | Older cameras and computers. |
| 531 | Legacy model based on a multi-cell 3LR50 arrangement with external connectors. | Older cameras. |
| No. 6 (R40) | No. 6 is the traditional size name; R40 identifies a large manganese round cell. | Science equipment, telephones, alarms, legacy equipment. |
| A Battery | Historical supply designation used for the filament circuit in vacuum-tube equipment. | Vintage radios and vacuum-tube equipment. |
| B Battery | Historical supply designation used to provide plate voltage in vacuum-tube equipment. | Vintage radios and vacuum-tube equipment. |
| GB / C Battery | Historical C or grid-bias battery designation used for vacuum-tube grid voltage. | Vintage vacuum-tube equipment. |
| 791 (2R14) | 2R14 indicates two R14 manganese round cells connected together. | Legacy military equipment. |
| 15-Volt Battery | Named directly for its nominal 15-volt output. | Older instruments and photographic equipment. |
| 22.5-Volt Battery | Named directly for its nominal 22.5-volt output. | Early radios, instruments, photographic equipment. |
| 30-Volt Battery | Named directly for its nominal 30-volt output. | Legacy instruments and electronics. |
| 45-Volt Battery | Named directly for its nominal 45-volt output. | Vintage radios and electronic equipment. |
| 67.5-Volt Battery | Named directly for its nominal 67.5-volt output. | Early portable radios and legacy electronics. |
PP Series Battery Names
PP stands for Power Pack. The number following PP identifies the particular battery format within the series rather than directly describing its voltage or dimensions.
| Battery Name | What the Name Means | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| PP1 | Power Pack No. 1. | Legacy portable electronic equipment. |
| PP3 | Power Pack No. 3; the familiar modern 9-volt battery format. | Smoke alarms, meters, audio equipment. |
| PP4 | Power Pack No. 4. | Older portable electronics and instruments. |
| PP6 | Power Pack No. 6. | Vintage portable electronic equipment. |
| PP7 | Power Pack No. 7. | Older radios and specialty equipment. |
| PP8 | Power Pack No. 8. | Electric fencing and specialty equipment. |
| PP9 | Power Pack No. 9. | Older portable electronics and specialty equipment. |
| PP10 | Power Pack No. 10. | Legacy electronic equipment. |
| PP11 | Power Pack No. 11; contained two separate 4.5-volt sections. | Early transistor-radio equipment. |
Does a Battery Name Tell You How to Recycle It?
A battery name can offer useful information about its chemistry, size, and construction, but the name alone may not provide everything needed to determine the proper recycling method.
Batteries with similar dimensions can use very different chemistries and voltages. For example, an alkaline AA battery, rechargeable nickel-metal hydride AA battery, and 14500 lithium-ion cell may be similar in size while requiring different handling considerations.
Businesses and organizations managing larger quantities of batteries should identify the battery chemistry and condition before preparing them for storage, transportation, or recycling.
For help managing used and retired batteries, explore EACR’s battery recycling services for businesses and organizations.