Why Is Apple Called “Apple”?
We all know that Apple shares its name with the fruit. But where exactly did the name “Apple” come from, and how was it chosen? There are a number of thrilling tales surrounding the origin of Apple’s name, but do any of them come close to the truth?
Read on to find out.
Why Is Apple Called “Apple”?
There are a number of wild theories behind the origins of Apple’s name, ranging from Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak choosing the name to appear ahead of Atari in the phone book to it being a tribute to the Beatles’ Apple Records.
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Despite the thrill of a wild tale, the truth is much simpler. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, Jobs came up with the name simply because he liked apples. According to Isaacson, Jobs chose the name because “it sounded fun, spirited and not intimidating…plus, it would get us ahead of Atari in the phone book.”
So it looks like there could be a smidgen of truth to one of the theories about the origin of Apple’s name.
According to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Jobs had just returned from a farm in Oregon, described by Jobs as an “apple orchard,” and suggested they name their company “Apple Computer.” Wozniak further elaborated in his autobiography, iWoz, that they both tried to think of more technical-sounding names, but were unable to do so, so they settled on Apple.
So there you have it: that’s the story behind how Apple got its name.
As for the World’s Most Famous Bite…
The Apple logo is synonymous with the company it is associated with. It also has some wild theories about its origin, including the tale that it was inspired Alan Turing, the scientist who died after eating a cyanide-laced apple.
The logo’s creator, Rob Janoff, explained to Forbes that the bite was intended to provide a sense of scale and that it was an apple rather than another smaller fruit. Another interesting fact about Apple is that the logo originally featured Sir Isaac Newton, before being simplified into its current form.
An Iconic Name Steeped in History
Few companies have names that are as instantly recognizable as Apple. As Apple successfully continues to innovate and surprise us with devices like the iPod and MacBook, we’re confident it will continue to shape the tech landscape for many years to come.
