Google is such a huge part of our lives that sometimes even in jokes we say “Google kar le” (Google it). We are so accustomed to the name as if it is something that we’ve known for decades. But, have you ever wondered why Google? As in why or how Google got the name Google? We might be able to help you with that curiosity. According to a recent report by the New York Post, the name ‘Google’ that we use so much was not a name which was decided. Rather, it was a result of a typo. Yes, you read that right, such a legendary name of today’s time was a result of a typo back then.
Let us time travel a bit in the past. Google was launched by computer scientists Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Both of them were PhD students at Stanford University in 1998. While they were brainstorming about what to name it, someone suggested them the word ‘Googol’ which is a term that was coined back in 1920.
When Larry Page checked with a techie to see if this domain name was available or not, he misspelt the name and checked for the name “Google” instead. After some time, Page realised that he preferred Google over Googol.
Apart from Googol, the founders of Google while brainstorming were also considering naming it as ‘Backrub’. Insane, right? But, there’s a logic behind that. They thought of naming it ‘Backrub’ because the program used backlinks to search. Some smarties in the world believe that Google stands for “Global Organisation of Oriented Group Language of Earth.” Now, the thing is, it was a mere typo and had no full form. The joke’s on them.
How Other Tech Giants Got Their Names
Now let’s turn to another tech giant, Microsoft. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company was initially named “Micro-Soft” by Allen. The name was a clever blend of “microcomputer” and “software.” Over time, the hyphen was dropped, leading to the now-iconic “Microsoft.”
Regarding Apple, the name was chosen by co-founder Steve Jobs. According to reports by Ladible, Jobs thought of the name after returning from a visit to an “apple orchard” in Oregon. He proposed “Apple Computer,” while Steve Wozniak suggested “Apple Records,” inspired by the Beatles’ record label. Ultimately, they agreed on the simple name “Apple.”