Even nonsense can have an explanation

Airbnb's name doesn't mean what most people think it does. Can you guess?

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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.

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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.

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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."

Beyond the stones

Hidden influence: 10 modern things we inherited from the Roman Empire

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According to history books, Rome fell more than 1,500 years ago, but it can be easily argued that the Empire's influence never truly waned. Beyond its majestic ruins, Rome left a legacy so intertwined with our modern world that we often fail to recognize how many of our daily conveniences stem from their unique vision and innovation. From public sanitation to bureaucracy, here are 10 surprising ways the Roman Empire continues to shape our lives today.

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The Julian calendar, named after Julius Caesar, forms the backbone of our modern Gregorian calendar system. While it has been modified by Pope Gregory XIII (hence the name "Gregorian"), the basic structure—365 days with leap years—remained.

Even the names of our months are derived from Roman months, which is most evident in months like July and August, which honor the early rulers Julius Caesar and Augustus. Moreover, Rome's efforts to standardize time laid the foundation for modern global timekeeping.

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Bizarrely, the standard width of modern American railways can be traced back to Roman chariot paths. These ancient roads set a standard gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches, which were used extensively across the empire.

Since much of the road infrastructure built in Great Britain was only improved upon by the following rulers, the same width was preserved long after the Roman Empire fell for fear of breaking the wheels of carriages, and it eventually became the basis for railroads.

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Concrete is so ubiquitous in modern architecture that it’s hard to believe it was invented over a thousand years ago. Roman concrete, or opus caementicium, was a revolutionary formula—a mix of volcanic ash with lime and water— which produced materials so durable that they have withstood millennia.

In fact, Roman concrete may have been even stronger and more resilient than our modern version. The inclusion of calcium carbonate chunks and unique mixing techniques gave it remarkable self-healing properties, allowing the material to repair cracks over time, further enhancing its durability.

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The Romans invented the hypocaust system, an early form of central heating. By circulating hot air beneath the floors and walls of public baths and homes, they ensured warmth and comfort, especially during cold winters. The system was so efficient that it could easily provide heat for hundreds of people at once.

Unfortunately, after the collapse of the Roman Empire, heating reverted to more primitive fireplaces for nearly a thousand years. However, the technology lived on and eventually became the precursor to today’s underfloor heating systems.

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Rome’s sanitation systems were ahead of their time, featuring flushing toilets connected to complex sewer networks like the Cloaca Maxima (amusing name, we know). These innovations helped reduce disease and improve public health, a rare luxury in ancient times.

In fact, major cities like London did not have adequate sewage systems until 1875! The city only undertook this massive engineering challenge after untreated sewage in the Thames rendered it nearly uninhabitable, which goes to show just how advanced Roman sanitation systems were.

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Not even what we might consider the pinnacle of modern conveniences—fast food—is immune to Roman influence. In fact, Romans loved their street food. Thermopolia, the ancient Roman equivalent of fast-food shops, served hot meals to busy citizens on the go.

These establishments were a common sight in cities, offering quick and affordable meals. Even more, some historians suggest that they might have had burgers, or at least a similar type of meat sandwich called Isicia Omentata. This dish featured spicy minced pork seasoned with fish sauce and was often served in plain bread buns.

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Romans were no strangers to advertising. Merchants used signs, slogans, and symbols to promote their goods. Mosaics with company logos and distinctive designs served as early trademarks and have been frequently found in well-preserved archaeological sites such as Pompeii.

Hospices and inns also relied on advertising to inform travelers about their services, sometimes even noting that they served food "Roman style." Moreover, wealthy Romans often used advertising for political purposes, funding slogans to be painted on buildings or even commissioning caricatures of their political enemies.

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Graffiti was everywhere in ancient Rome, from political messages to love notes. But just like in modern times, Romans frequently used graffiti humorously, sometimes leaving rude remarks, explicit drawings, or just commenting ironically on daily life.

But graffiti could also be more innocent, featuring simple pictures or even games (picture a chalk tic-tac-toe on a wall). Despite the centuries that separate us, their sense of humor was not so different from ours, and graffiti has been invaluable to historians and archaeologists in reconstructing daily life in Roman times.

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Romans didn’t just build cities—they meticulously planned them. They pioneered grid layouts with organized streets and distinct zones for residential, commercial, and public spaces. These urban planning innovations have influenced modern city design, where very similar urbanization plans are still used to build and expand.

While the city itself is not a Roman invention, of course, Roman designs shaped how we conceive of urban spaces today. Their approach to planning ensured that cities were functional, efficient, and navigable, setting a standard that continues to guide modern urban development.

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Whether you see it as a gift or a burden, there is no doubt that Roman bureaucracy has left a lasting legacy. Rome’s complex system of governance required extensive bureaucracy. And they were among the first to implement systematic and detailed record-keeping, tax collection, and legal systems.

In particular, the Roman army was highly bureaucratic; something as simple as a stock check or a food order often required paperwork in triplicate before it could be authorized! But in any case, this meticulous record-keeping is a major reason we have such detailed knowledge about Roman times today.