ABC arrangement of FCC/CCP
Perhaps the simple way to look at this is think of the sphere structures as three layers. Think of the (x,y) coordinates of the spheres, neglecting the z coordinate. The first (white balls) and second layers (black balls) are the same in HCP and FCC. So let's label the first layer the A layer and the second layer the B layer. 

Now we add the third layer. 




In HCP, which is shown on the left in the above image, the center of spheres in the third layer would be placed directly over the center of a sphere in the A (first) layer. So the third layer (white ball)is another A layer.  
In FCC, which is shown on the right in the above image, the spheres in the third layer (green ball) would be offset by 1/2 the radius of the sphere, above a sphere in the first layer. (Note that the dashed circle denotes a position directly above the A level circle.) So the third layer is neither an A layer nor a B layer. Let's call it a C layer. Now the fourth layer would again have spheres whose center are directly above the center of the spheres in the first layer. So it would be another A layer. 


So HCP has (AB)(AB)(AB)... layers but FCC has (ABC)(ABC)(ABC)... layers. Where A, B and C denote different sets of (x,y) coordinates. Again the z coordinate being the layer of the ball coming out of the 2D image.