What is the official name of the McDonald's “M” symbol used worldwide?

The official name of McDonald's M-shaped symbol is the Golden Arches.

The arches began as architectural features on McDonald's restaurants in the 1950s and were later combined into the recognizable M mark. Their golden color and double-arch form became a shorthand for the company even when no restaurant building was visible.

The symbol is sometimes mistakenly called simply the “golden M,” but McDonald's and historical references use “Golden Arches.” The arches also inspired the company's former “look for the Golden Arches” advertising language.

Design history is more complicated than a single invention: architect Stanley Clark Meston created the restaurant arches, while later graphic designers refined them into logos. This distinction explains why architecture and corporate mark histories are often dated differently.