What name did McDonald’s give its 1962 restaurant sign featuring two golden arches?

McDonald’s called its 1962 restaurant sign featuring two golden arches the Golden Arches.

The arches originated as architectural elements on McDonald’s restaurants, not initially as a standalone corporate logo. Architect Stanley Clark Meston designed the buildings with large yellow arches that were visible from the road and helped restaurants attract passing motorists.

In 1962, the arches were combined into the familiar stylized “M” used as a corporate symbol. The design transformed an architectural feature into one of the world’s most recognizable pieces of commercial branding.

People sometimes assume the arches were created as a letter M from the start. Their earlier role was practical and visual: they formed a distinctive roadside shape on the restaurant buildings. Their later combination gave the symbol its modern meaning.