What was the code name for the invasion of Normandy by the Allies?

The code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy was Operation Overlord.

Operation Overlord was the larger Allied campaign to establish a foothold in German-occupied France and liberate Western Europe during World War II. It began on 6 June 1944, commonly known as D-Day, when Allied forces landed along Normandy’s coast and conducted simultaneous airborne operations inland.

The seaborne assault itself was code-named Operation Neptune. That distinction causes a frequent mix-up: Neptune covered the initial landing phase, while Overlord referred to the broader campaign, including the buildup and fighting that followed. The invasion involved American, British, Canadian, and forces from several other Allied nations.

The Allies used extensive deception, known as Operation Bodyguard, to persuade Germany that the main attack would occur elsewhere. More than 5,000 vessels supported the landings, and nearly 160,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel on D-Day. By the end of August, more than two million Allied troops had entered France, helping open the Western Front against Nazi Germany.