The online retailer now known as Amazon was originally named Cadabra.
Jeff Bezos incorporated the company in July 1994 under the name Cadabra, shortened from “abracadabra.” The name was intended to suggest something magical, but Bezos changed it after a lawyer misheard it as “cadaver.” He also considered the name unsuitable because it could be unclear in conversation.
The company was briefly associated with the name Relentless, and the domain relentless.com still redirects to Amazon. Bezos ultimately selected Amazon, inspired by the Amazon River, because it was enormous and the name suggested scale. The company began selling books online in July 1995.
Amazon’s original business was far narrower than its modern retail operation. It later expanded into music, video, electronics, cloud computing, logistics, advertising, and other services. The early naming story is therefore part of the company’s broader transformation from an online bookstore into a diversified technology and retail corporation.