Amazon was originally registered under the name Cadabra.
Jeff Bezos founded the company in 1994 as an online bookstore. He initially chose “Cadabra,” referring to the magician’s phrase “abracadabra,” but changed the name after a lawyer misheard it as “cadaver.” The company was renamed Amazon, inspired by the immense Amazon River.
Amazon launched its website in July 1995, selling books because they offered a vast selection and were relatively easy to catalog and ship. The business soon expanded into music, video, electronics, household goods, and third-party marketplace services.
Amazon later developed major businesses in cloud computing through Amazon Web Services, digital advertising, logistics, and entertainment. Its transformation from an online bookseller into a diversified technology and commerce company is a major reason it became one of the world’s largest companies by market capitalization.