What is the common name for McDonald’s yellow M-shaped logo?

McDonald’s yellow M-shaped logo is commonly called the Golden Arches.

The name comes from the large arches incorporated into early McDonald’s restaurant architecture. Those arches became so strongly associated with the chain that the phrase “Golden Arches” developed into a widely recognized nickname for the company and its visual identity.

The logo’s meaning is related to the buildings that first displayed the arches, but the modern symbol is a graphic mark rather than a literal architectural sign. McDonald’s has used it in signs, packaging, advertising, and digital branding around the world.

The Golden Arches are sometimes confused with the restaurant’s earlier Speedee mascot branding. Speedee represented the original fast-service concept, while the arches became the enduring corporate symbol.