Everyone knows what Google is, but what does it mean? A look into Google’s history reveals the origins of the company’s name.
This article is about the company Google LLC, as well as the Google search engine.
What Does Google Mean?
Google is an internet technology company that operates the world’s most popular search engine, also called Google. In addition to providing dozens of web-based apps and services, Google also owns YouTube and Blogger.
“Google” is an alternate spelling of googol, or the number 1 followed by 100 zeros. The name is a reference to the vast amount of links the search engine is capable of returning. Google is often used as a verb to mean “search for something on the Google search engine.”
Google is also the owner of the Android platform, the most popular mobile operating system for smartphones and tablets. The Google Developers website has free tools and resources that anyone can use to develop apps for Android and the web.
When Was Google Created?
Google’s birthday is September 4, 1998, but its origins go back to 1996 when computer scientists Larry Page and Sergey Brin began working on a search engine called BackRub. At the time, search engine results were based on how frequently words appeared on a web page. This meant that web designers could just use the same keywords over and over again to improve their ranking in search results.
BackRub’s novel search algorithm, known as PageRank, used backlink analysis to rank sites based on their relevance to keywords. The result was that higher-quality websites rose to the top. BackRub was eventually renamed Google, which also became the name of Page and Brin’s company.
Google’s PageRank algorithm has continued to be refined over the years. As a result, a new industry known as search engine optimization (SEO) cropped up to help web developers improve their search result rankings.
Where Is Google?
Google was initially based out of its developers’ garage. Decades later, Google is a company with thousands of employees around the world, including a team of quality control experts who ensure the accuracy of the search engine’s algorithm.
In 2015, Google Inc. was split up into multiple organizations including Google LLC and a holding company called Alphabet Inc. Both companies are headquartered in Mountain View, California. In addition to offices in more than 50 countries, Google operates data centers across the globe to ensure access to its services on every continent.
List of Google Software
Google’s most popular web-based productivity applications include:
- Gmail: Google’s web-based email service.
- Google Drive: A cloud-based storage and office application.
- Google Docs: The online word processing and document creation application.
- Google Chrome: A full-featured web browser.
- Google Play: The Android app store.
Google Products
In addition to software, Google also develops hardware such as:
- Google Pixel smartphones
- Chromebook and Pixelbook laptops
- Google Home smart speakers
- Waymo driverless cars
Google Services
Google offers a number of services for consumers and business including:
- The Google Stadia cloud gaming platform
- The Google Fi mobile carrier
- The Google AdSense advertising platform
- YouTube TV