Final answer:
In programming or data analysis, the asterisk (*) is known as a wildcard, and it is used to match patterns in variable names for operations such as regression analysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of programming and data analysis, using an asterisk (*) part way through a variable name is commonly referred to as a wildcard character. A wildcard is used to represent one or more characters when searching for or matching patterns in variables. This functionality can be especially useful in statistical software or programming languages that support pattern matching or advanced search capabilities within variable names. When we say that putting an asterisk part way through a variable will 'regress every variable that matches the name up to the *', we're indicating that every variable whose name starts with the specified pattern before the asterisk will be included in the regression analysis.