What was the original name of the company that became UPS?

The original name of the company that became UPS was the American Messenger Company.

James E. Casey and Claude Ryan founded the company in Seattle on August 28, 1907, with $100 borrowed capital. It began as a messenger service, making many deliveries on foot and using bicycles for longer trips. Its work included package deliveries to retail stores and special-delivery mail for the U.S. Post Office Department.

The name did not change directly from American Messenger Company to UPS. In 1913, the business merged with a competitor and became Merchants Parcel Delivery. After expanding beyond Seattle to Oakland in 1919, it adopted the name United Parcel Service. A Ford Model T, acquired in 1913, was its first delivery vehicle.

A common mix-up is assuming “United Parcel Service” was the founding name. UPS is the later corporate identity; American Messenger Company is the canonical original name.