What was eBay’s original name when it launched in 1995?

eBay’s original name when it launched in 1995 was AuctionWeb.

Pierre Omidyar created AuctionWeb as part of a larger personal website in September 1995. The site allowed people to list items and let buyers compete through online auctions. One early listing was a broken laser pointer, which reportedly sold for more than Omidyar expected.

The company was incorporated as Echo Bay Technology Group, and its marketplace was later commonly known as eBay. The name eBay came from the company’s domain, eBay.com, after the preferred EchoBay.com name was unavailable. AuctionWeb is therefore the marketplace’s original operating name, not the company’s later corporate name.

The service became known for user feedback, auction listings and payment innovations. Its model helped demonstrate that individuals could trade directly with one another online, well before fixed-price marketplaces became dominant.