The origin of the name of the bishop is obscure. It was introduced in the 15th century, taking the move of the courier and placed where the alfil used to be at the set up of the chess pieces on a chessboard.
The appearance of the Muslim fil was formless but with two protuberances said to symbolize the elephant from which the piece derives its name. Perhaps these suggested the bishop's mitre, hence bishop, the name used in English-speaking countries since the new game gained acceptance.
The fil or al-fil (elephant) was also known as the sage or old man in Italy, a Count in the oldest German references, and a fool in France.
The Spanish players knew that al-fil meant the elephant, but this was not known in other European countries. The elephant was only known to most Europeans through literature, and its use in war was hardly known at all.
The perversions of the world alfil led to alphicus (leper), alpinus (the Alpine), africus (the African), Alpheus (a man's name), and alfiere (the standard-bearer). At a later date in Southern Europe, the name became delphinus, with its associations with the Dauphin of France.
In other countries the bishop was known as the archer, the runner (laufer), the counsel-keeper, the secretary, the soldier, the monk, the spy (senex), the thief, and the administrator.
The original name aufin, once the ordinary name for the Bishop in France and England, was replaced by the bishop.
The original move of the bishop (fil) was only three squares diagonally. By 1500 it could move to any open square diagonally.