How to alert variable name, not a value of variable?

var color = 'red';

alert(color); // Will alert 'red'
alert(/* magic */); // Will alert 'color'

How to alert variable name, not a value of variable?

var color = 'red';

alert(color); // Will alert 'red'
alert(/* magic */); // Will alert 'color'

• javascript

• 9 alert("color");? – kennytm Commented Apr 17, 2010 at 19:42

2 Answers 2

It's not possible in JavaScript, because arguments in this language are passed by value or by reference, not by name, so when variable is passed to function, its name is lost.

In the Firebug console:

>>> a=[]
[]
>>> a
[]
>>> b=a
[]
>>> a.push(3)
1
>>> b
[3]
>>> a
[3]

So, which variable name would you like that array to return? a? b? Something pletely different?