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Google name origin: how spelling mistake of 'googol' created tech giant's brand
The Economic Times· 2025-09-27 06:36
Core Insights - The name "Google" reflects the company's ambition to manage vast amounts of data and search queries, emphasizing the scale of information processing intended by its search algorithm [1][9] - The original name for the search engine was "BackRub," which was later changed in 1997 during a rebranding effort [10] - The name "Google" originated from a misspelling of "googol," a mathematical term representing 1 followed by 100 zeros, which was initially considered by the development team [5][9] Company History - Google was founded in 1998 by Stanford PhD students Sergey Brin and Larry Page, with official incorporation on September 4, 1998, although the company celebrates its anniversary on September 27 [7][10] - The company started in a garage in Menlo Park and has since evolved into a global technology corporation, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. in 2015 [7][10] Leadership Structure - Sundar Pichai serves as the CEO of both Google and its parent company Alphabet Inc., with Brin and Page remaining as key stakeholders and board members [8][10] - The leadership structure allows the founders to maintain influence over the company's direction while enabling professional management to oversee daily operations [8][10]
Google Turns 27: What does ‘Google’ really mean? How a spelling mistake shaped the search giant
MINT· 2025-09-27 03:35
Core Insights - Google celebrates its 27th birthday on September 27, marking its evolution from a small garage project to the world's most popular search engine used by billions [1] - The name "Google" is derived from the mathematical term "Googol," which signifies a vast amount of information, reflecting the founders' ambition [2][6] - Google was initially named "BackRub" before the team brainstormed for a new name, eventually leading to the registration of the domain "google.com" due to a misspelling [3][5] Company Background - Google was founded by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, two PhD students at Stanford University, in 1998, with its official incorporation date being September 4, 1998 [7] - The company operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., which was established in 2015 [7] - Sundar Pichai currently serves as the CEO of Google and Alphabet, while Brin and Page remain key insiders and board members [8]