[JJ_SO]

The AF-P monicker stands for the use of stepper motor. Canon uses the STM (STepper Motor) name for that, Nikon obviously (AF-S/SWM vs USM, VR vs IS) had to come up with their own naming convention. The "P" stands for "Pulse". Pulse as in you give a pulse to the motor and it moves a step. A bit convoluted, but that is what the "P" stands for.

 

Thanks. It's a bit strange from Nikon as "Sonic"-motors also are pulsed, but sonic and step starts with the same letter.