Paraffin, or "paraffin hydrocarbon", is also the technical name for an alkane in general, but in most cases it refers specifically to a linear, or "normal" alkane — whereas branched, or "iso"alkanes are also called "iso"paraffins. It is distinct from the fuel known in Ireland, Britain and South Africa as "paraffin oil" or just "paraffin", which is called kerosene in most of the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.