What was the original name of the company now known as FedEx?

The company now known as FedEx was originally named Federal Express.

Frederick W. Smith founded Federal Express in 1971 after developing a business plan for an integrated overnight delivery service. The company began operations in 1973, using Memphis International Airport as its main hub.

Its network was designed around a central hub, allowing packages from different cities to be sorted and sent onward efficiently overnight. This hub-and-spoke model helped make time-definite parcel delivery practical on a large scale.

Federal Express changed its name to FedEx in 2000 as part of a corporate rebranding. The name FedEx had already been widely used as a nickname and brand shorthand. UPS is a separate delivery company founded earlier, so it is not an alternative name for Federal Express.