From Apple to Google, here's how world’s most famous companies got their names
By CNBCTV18.com Mar 28, 2023 9:44:35 PM IST (Published)
SUMMARY
From Apple to Google and Microsoft to Intel, these renowned companies have become a part of our lives. But did you know how these companies got their names? Discover the stories behind the names of some of the world’s most famous companies.
Apple Computers | Steve Jobs, the founder chose the name as he was fond of the fruit. When he failed to find a better name, he settled on "Apple Computers" after threatening his colleagues with the choice if they couldn't come up with an alternative by 5 pm.
Adobe | Founder Warnock's house was situated near the Adobe Creek river which inspired the name of the company.
Google | Originally named 'Googol,' the search engine's name represented the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. The founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their idea to an investor who mistakenly wrote a check to Google and the name stuck. (Image: Shutterstock)
Sony | The name is derived from the Latin word "sonus," meaning sound, and "sonny," a slang term used to describe a bright youngster. (Image: Reuters)
Yahoo | Inspired by Jonathan Swift's book "Gulliver's Travels," the founders' Jerry Yang and David Filo, chose the name because they saw themselves as "yahoos."
Motorola | The name was inspired by the popular radio company at the time, Victrola, when founder Paul Galvin started manufacturing radios for cars. (Image: Reuters)
Xerox | Derived from the Greek word "xer," meaning dry, inventor Chester Carlson chose the name for his dry copying product. (Image: Reuters)
Sun Microsystems | Founded by four Stanford University friends, the name stands for "Stanford University Network." (Image: Reuters)
Microsoft | The name was coined by Bill Gates to represent the company's focus on "MICROcomputer SOFTware." It was initially “Micro-Soft,” but the hyphen was later dropped. (Image: Reuters)
Intel | Originally, founders Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name the company "Moore Noyce," but the name was already trademarked by a hotel chain. They settled on an acronym of "INTegrated ELectronics" instead. (Image: Shutterstock)
Hewlett-Packard | The company's name was decided by a coin toss between founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, who decided it would be either "Hewlett-Packard" or "Packard-Hewlett." (Image: Reuters)
Oracle | While working on a CIA project, founders Larry Ellison and Bob Oats named their company “Oracle,” which represented the system to give answers to all questions. (Image: Reuters)
Cisco | The name is an abbreviation of “San Francisco,” the city where the company was founded. The logo of the company reflects its San Francisco heritage, with a stylised Golden Gate Bridge. (Image: Reuters)
