Even nonsense can have an explanation

Adobe, Google, Wikipedia: Where do the names of tech companies come from?

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If you’ve ever wondered why so many tech companies have names that seem unrelated to their products or services, you’re not alone. Big brands like Google, eBay, Adobe, and Apple, to name a few, have quirky names that seem to be more about the sound or the catchiness of the word rather than the actual meaning of it. But even if the meaning isn’t immediately obvious, it does exist. Did you know the origins of these 12 names?

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Many of the go-to software programs for graphic designers, like Photoshop and Illustrator, are made by Adobe. The company’s name comes from Adobe Creek in Los Altos, California—a stream that ran behind the founder’s home—named after the type of clay found there.

Image: Mitchell Luo

Perhaps the most famous name origin story on this list, Google comes from a misspelling of _googol_—a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. The name was chosen by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the company founders, to reflect their goal of building a large-scale search engine.

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According to founder Steve Jobs, the company's name was inspired by his visit to an apple farm while he was on a fruitarian diet. However, he also mentioned that it was partially chosen because "Apple" comes before "Atari" alphabetically—one of his competitors at the time.

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Originally called AuctionWeb, eBay got its name from the company’s founder, Pierre Omidyar, who owned a consulting firm called Echo Bay Technology Group. When he couldn’t register echobay.com, he shortened it to eBay.

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Early in the animation company’s history, one of its founders suggested the name "Pixer" because it sounded like a made-up Spanish verb for "to make pictures." However, another founder, Loren Carpenter, preferred "Radar" for its futuristic feel. So, they combined the two into a single word: Pixar.

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Although Spotify originated in Sweden, the word itself has no meaning in Swedish. According to the story, founders Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon were brainstorming names when one of the suggestions was misheard as "Spotify," and it just stuck. The rest is history.

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Originally launched as Nupedia, a free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia took the first part of its name from the Hawaiian word wiki, meaning "quick" or "fast." The idea was to create a fast, collaborative encyclopedia that anyone could edit.

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The word "Hulu" has no English definition, but there is an ancient Chinese proverb that describes hulu as "the holder of precious things"—seems quite fitting for a content platform, right?

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If you’ve ever wondered what Skype means, it’s actually a straightforward combination of "sky" and "peer-to-peer." It was originally shortened to "Skyper," but when the founders discovered that name was already in use, they further trimmed it to "Skype."

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While some assume that Airbnb stands for an "online bed & breakfast" concept, the true meaning of the name is much simpler. The founders, who were the first hosts, bought air mattresses for their guests and created a website called "Air Bed & Breakfast," which they later shortened to Airbnb.

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The forum platform for all, Reddit, has a straightforward name derived from the phrase "I read it online." However, as some have pointed out, there is also a Latin parallel to the site’s name—_reddere_—which translates to "render" and can mean "to submit for consideration or approval"—exactly what users do on the site.

Image: Oberon Copeland @veryinformed.com

If you’re building a brand from scratch, don’t name it after a word that already exists—create your own instead. That’s exactly what Etsy’s founder, Rob Kalin, did. In an interview, he explained that the name was inspired by an Italian expression that sounded like the now-famous brand name and meant "oh, yes."

Which one stole your heart?

No, Golden Retrievers weren't bred to fetch gold: Dog breed names 101

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Do you love dogs? From royal companions to fearless hunters and from German badger dogs to barkless African hounds, the names of our favorite breeds often hold surprising stories. Whether you’re a fan of the stoic Mastiff, the sassy Poodle, or the majestic Husky, there’s a tale behind each name that might surprise you. Let’s dig in!

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The beautiful, blue-eyed Husky is inseparable from dog-sledding lore. The breed’s name evolved from the word "Eskimo."

English sailors once slurred "Eskimo" into "Uskee" or "Huskemaw," which eventually transformed into "Husky."

Image: Alondra Pavón

What’s not to love about wiener dogs? Their original name, however, refers not to their iconic sausage shape but to the purpose for which the breed was developed.

Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals, with their long bodies and short legs making them ideal for digging into tunnels. The name is a German compound of Dachs (badger) and Hund (dog), meaning "badger dog."

Image: Irene

There are three beloved varieties of Schnauzer—miniature, standard, and giant—and each has had its moment in pop culture.

The breed takes its name from its distinctive "mustache" or schnauze (snout) in German, literally meaning "snouter" or "muzzle." Originally, Schnauzers were used as rat-catchers and guard dogs in Germany.

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Often portrayed as guard dogs or police K-9s in film, Dobermans were named after Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann, a 19th-century German tax collector who developed the breed as a loyal and protective companion for his dangerous rounds.

Image: Alvan Nee

Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved Welsh Corgis made the breed internationally famous. In Welsh, cor means "dwarf" and gi (a soft mutation of ci) means "dog," so Corgi translates to "dwarf dog." Indeed, the breed originated in Wales, where it was used for herding cattle by nipping at their heels. Over time, Corgis also became a cultural symbol of British royalty.

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Known as the "barkless dog" of Central Africa—because of its unique larynx structure, which produces a yodel-like sound (baroo) instead of a bark—the name "Basenji" comes from a Bantu language and roughly translates to "village dog" or "bush thing." The breed is ancient and was used for hunting in the Congo.

Image: Joshua Köller

Did you know the Labrador Retriever has been America’s most popular dog breed for decades? Despite its name, the breed did not originate in Labrador but in Newfoundland.

It was called "Labrador" because British breeders associated the dogs with the Labrador Sea and the nearby region, while "Retriever" refers to the breed’s role in hunting.

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So, did Golden Retrievers retrieve gold? Short answer: no. Like Labradors, they were bred to retrieve game for hunters, but the "golden" part of their name refers to their beautiful coat.

The breed was developed in Scotland in the 19th century by crossing several breeds to create an obedient, water-loving gun dog.

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Snoopy is perhaps the most famous Beagle out there, even though we only saw him in black and white.

The origin of this beloved breed’s name is debated. It may derive from the Old French begueule, meaning "open throat," a nod to their baying howls. Others trace it to Celtic or Old English words meaning "small."

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Always pampered and impeccably groomed! If the term "Poodle" has always reminded you of "puddles," you are not far off. The name comes from the German Pudel or Pudelin, meaning "to splash in water." Poodles were originally bred as water retrievers, so their name reflects this aquatic work.

Image: Bruce Galpin

Pugs’ features and expressive faces have made them a source of comic relief in pop culture. There is no consensus about the origin of their name, however.

Some say that it derives from the Latin pugnus, meaning "fist," perhaps referencing their squished, fist-like face. Others say that in 18th-century England, "pug" was also a term of endearment for something small and compact-looking.

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Athletic, energetic, and full of protective instincts, Boxers are true family guardians. But why the name?

It is thought to come from the breed’s tendency to use its front paws in play, like a boxer in the ring. Another theory links the name to the German word Boxl, a nickname for the breed in Bavaria.

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As calm and noble as they are huge, Mastiffs were named after the Old French mastin or the Latin mansuetus, meaning "tame" or "domesticated." Despite their imposing size, Mastiffs were bred to guard homes and estates while remaining loyal and gentle with their owners.