The two golden arches in McDonald's most famous logo are commonly said to form the letter M.
The arches began as architectural features rather than as an abstract letter. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed large yellow arches for McDonald's restaurants in the 1950s, helping the buildings stand out from the road. The company later combined the two arches into the stylized golden M used as a corporate symbol.
The logo is sometimes mistakenly described as having been designed as the letter M from the beginning. Historically, the arches first served a practical visual purpose on restaurant buildings before their branding meaning became dominant.
The Golden Arches name is now used both for the logo and as a nickname for McDonald's itself. Its strong color contrast, simple geometry, and repeated use on signs, packaging, and advertising helped make it one of the world's most recognizable corporate symbols.