...huh. So SQL is really pronounced as 'sequel'? Still prefer saying it letter-by-letter though :P

Why though? It makes as much sense as pronouncing gif as jif :p

Nope. Three is no sequel anymore. It's SQL now.

It was originally SEQUEL, then it was changed to SQL because of legal issues. Once it was changed it was changed, it's pronounced S Q L, not sequel. However, people who worked on it were used to calling it sequel so it stuck, but the language is called SQL. There's different variations though and for example MS SQL is pronounced sequel instead of SQL, MySQL is pronounced MySQL, but they don't mind if you pronounce it MySequel, etc...

It's an abbreviation so it should be pronounced word by word imho