It does not have to be named self , you can call it whatever you like, but it has to be the first parameter of any function in the class: code example

Example 1: how to declare a class in python

class ClassName(object): #"(object)" isn't mandatory unless this class inherit from another
  	def __init__(self, var1=0, var2):
    
    	#the name of the construct must be "__init__" or it won't work
    	#the arguments "self" is mandatory but you can add more if you want 
    	self.age = var1
    	self.name = var2
    
    	#the construct will be execute when you declare an instance of this class
    
  	def otherFunction(self):
    	
        #the other one work like any basic fonction but in every methods,
    	#the first argument (here "self") return to the class in which you are

Example 2: class in python

class ComplexNumber:
    def __init__(self, r=0, i=0):
        self.real = r
        self.imag = i

    def get_data(self):
        print(f'{self.real}+{self.imag}j')


# Create a new ComplexNumber object
num1 = ComplexNumber(2, 3)

# Call get_data() method
# Output: 2+3j
num1.get_data()

# Create another ComplexNumber object
# and create a new attribute 'attr'
num2 = ComplexNumber(5)
num2.attr = 10

# Output: (5, 0, 10)
print((num2.real, num2.imag, num2.attr))

# but c1 object doesn't have attribute 'attr'
# AttributeError: 'ComplexNumber' object has no attribute 'attr'
print(num1.attr)