I’ve heard people jump to the mistaken conclusion that F-style mandolins are so named because of the f-holes in the soundboard.
In a similar vein, I read a mandolin article whose author claimed that the scroll somehow resembled part of a stylized, lower-case “F”.
Neither of these guesses, though somewhat plausible, are correct.
The “F” in F-style mandolin stands for “Florentine”.
In fact, some folks always refer to this design by the full name: Florentine-style mandolin (or Florentine mandolin). Are they just being pretentious, or do they believe in accuracy above all else? Who knows; at least they’re knowledgeable.
The Gibson guitar company invented the F-style mandolin. (Incidentally, Gibson invented the A-style at approximately the same time.) Although it’s widely accepted that the letter designation stands for “Florentine”, it’s not as clear-cut what the “A” represents. Some say it stands for “Artist”.
Since the traditional mandolin shape is a bowl-backed form known as the “Neopolitan”, it stands to reason that Gibson would find it appropriate to give his new design an Italian name.
In any event, don’t be surprised if someone calles your F-style mandolin a “Florentine”.
