What name is commonly given to the yellow M-shaped symbol used by McDonald's?

The yellow M-shaped symbol used by McDonald's is commonly called the Golden Arches.

The design developed from architectural arches used at early McDonald's restaurants. The arches were incorporated into the company's visual identity during the 1950s and were transformed into a stylized logo in the early 1960s. Their bright yellow color and simple shape made them highly visible from roads and easy to reproduce in signs, packaging, and advertising.

The arches became so strongly associated with McDonald's that the phrase “Golden Arches” can refer to the company itself. This is an example of a physical design feature becoming a globally recognized brand symbol.

The logo is sometimes casually called the yellow M, but “Golden Arches” is the established name. The symbol should also not be confused with the restaurant architecture of any particular period, since the logo continued after building styles changed.