Why is it Called Google?

Google, the worlds largest search engine, was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998 while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University. The company later went public in August 2004. From the beginning, their mission statement was to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. In December 2013, Alexa ranked Google as the number one visited website on the internet.

Google’s success in the search industry has allowed them to venture off into more innovative spaces. A couple years ago, they launched Project Loon with the mission of launching Wi-fi balloons in the stratosphere to create a wireless network, claimed to be 3G-like. More recently, they launched Google Glass and Google Self-Driving Car. You can always count on Google to achieve the impossible.

Why is Google called Google? 

The name Google originated from a misspelling of the word “googol,” which is the term for the number “1” followed by a hundred “0’s”. Another name they considered was “Backrub,” which derived from the system of finding and ranking pages based on backlinks. The world would be a different place if we told everyone to “Backrub it.” 

What’s the significance of the colors in Google’s logo? “There were a lot of different color iterations, Kedar (original designer) says. “We ended up with the primary colors, but instead of having the pattern go in order, we put a secondary color on the L, which brought back the idea that Google doesn’t follow the rules.

Doodle Hallway in Los Angeles

SEE ALSO: Why is it called Yahoo?

6 Features You Didn’t Know Google Had

1. Build With Chrome 

Lego building with the click of a mouse and no clean up.

2. Google Translate

Translate individual words, sentences or stories. You can also hit the speaker icon at the bottom of the box to hear your story in a new language.

3, Search: “Do A barrel Roll”

Ok, this is just a weird one. Now, search “askew” to see what happens.

4. Track a Flight

Ok, stop doing barrel rolls. This feature is more helpful than number 3. Google is always trying to speed up the search process, which mean reducing clicks. Now, you no longer need to visit a website to track your friend’s flight. Just type in the name of the airline and flight number and Google will give you the details.

Bonus Feature: You can also track a package in Google.

5. Google Trends

Discover what’s hot! Google Trends gages the interest level for certain topics over time. You can enter a topic (I entered Russell Wilson), set time frames and target by geographic area. You’ll instantly notice a spike of interest for Russell Wilson during the Super Bowl later year.

Interested when your favorite actor became big time? Want to get a better understanding of the health of an industry? Want to compare two industries? Want to see what’s trending on Youtube? Google Trends has these answers and a lot more. Additionally, you can see what’s topping the charts by category. For example, Actors, Athletes, Animals, Authors, Books, Business People, Cars and Cities to name a few.

6. Custom Image Search

Take your image search to the next level. Hit the “Search Tools” box to get more customized options. Find different types of images – faces, clip art, line drawing, animations etc. You can also customize your image results by size and color. These advanced options make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.

Are you a GOOGLer or a BINGer or a YAHOOer? #whyisitcalledGoogle