What visual symbol inspired the name of McDonald's Golden Arches?

The name McDonald's Golden Arches comes from the restaurant's architectural arches.

The original arches were large yellow structures incorporated into the design of early McDonald's buildings. Architect Stanley Clark Meston developed the restaurant design, while the arches became a highly visible feature intended to attract passing motorists.

In the 1960s, the two arches were combined into the familiar stylized “M” logo. Their architectural origin is often overlooked because the symbol is now read primarily as a letter rather than as a pair of building elements.

The arches became one of the most recognizable examples of corporate branding. Their meaning also changed over time: they began as physical roadside architecture and evolved into a global trademark used on signs, packaging, advertising, and restaurants.