US missile names are three letters.
How it is launched + what it kills + what it is + number + version
AIM-9
AGM-88
RIM-174
BGM-109
FIM-92
Let's decode below.
First letter = where it launches
A: Air
B: Multiple platforms
C: Coffin / protected enclosure
F: Individual soldier
G: Runway / taxiing ground
H: Stored in a silo
L: Silo launched
M: Mobile ground
P: Soft pad
R: Ship
U: Underwater
AIM = from an aircraft
RIM = from a ship
UGM = from a sub
FIM = from a person
Second letter = the job
I: Intercept (shoot down aircraft / missiles)
G: Surface attack (hit a target on land or sea)
U: Underwater attack
E: Electronic
Q: Drone
T: Training
D: Decoy
S: Space
W: Weather
AIM: air launch + intercept
AGM: air launch + surface attack
RIM: ship launch + intercept
RGM: ship launch + surface attack
UGM: underwater launch + surface attack
Third letter = what the thing is
M: Guided missile
R: Rocket (unguided or simpler)
N: Probe
Almost everything you see on the news is M.
AIM-9: Air Intercept Missile
AGM-114: Air-launched, surface-attack, guided missile
RIM-162: Ship-launched intercept missile
The famous ones
AIM-9 Sidewinder: Air + Intercept + Missile
AIM-120 AMRAAM: Air + Intercept + Missile
AGM-88 HARM: Air + surface attack + Missile
AGM-114 Hellfire: Air + surface attack + Missile
AGM-158 JASSM: Air + surface attack + Missile
AGM-84 Harpoon: Air + surface attack + Missile
Same Harpoon from a ship is RGM-84.
From a sub it is UGM-84.
Letters change. Weapon does not.
Ship and ground
RIM-66 / RIM-67 Standard
RIM-162 ESSM
RIM-174 SM-6
RGM-109 / UGM-109 / BGM-109 Tomahawk
B = multiple launch platforms. That is why Tomahawk is BGM-109.
MIM-104 Patriot: Mobile + Intercept + Missile
FIM-92 Stinger: Individual + Intercept + Missile
FGM-148 Javelin: Individual + surface attack + Missile
LGM-30 Minuteman: Silo launched + surface attack + Missile
UGM-133 Trident II: Underwater + surface attack + Missile
How to read one
AIM-120D
A = air
I = intercept
M = guided missile
120 = design number
D = version
FGM-148
F = one person
G = hit the ground
M = guided missile
148 = design number
RIM-174
R = ship
I = intercept
M = guided missile
174 = design number
Same system since 1963. Air Force, Navy, Army, Marines.