Google logo facts for kids
The Google logo is the special picture and words that help people recognize the famous search engine company, Google. Over the years, Google has changed its logo several times. The very first logo was made by Sergey Brin using a computer program called GIMP. A new version of the logo was introduced on September 1, 2015. Before that, a logo designed by Ruth Kedar was used for many years, based on a font called Catull.
Google also creates fun and special versions of its logo for holidays, birthdays of famous people, and big events like the Olympics. These special logos are called Google Doodles, and some were designed by Dennis Hwang.
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The Google Logo: A Visual Journey
The Google logo is more than just a picture; it's a symbol that helps millions of people recognize one of the world's biggest internet companies. Over the years, this famous logo has changed to keep up with new technologies and design trends.
How the Google Logo Started
In 1997, Larry Page, one of Google's founders, created an early version of the Google letters using a free graphics program called GIMP. The letters had a different style, and an exclamation mark was even added, similar to the Yahoo! logo at the time.
In May 1999, Ruth Kedar, a talented graphic designer, helped create the logo that many people remember. She experimented with many colors. Ruth decided to use the main colors (blue, red, yellow, green) but put a secondary color (green) on the letter 'L'. This showed that Google liked to be a bit different and didn't always follow strict rules. The font chosen for this logo was called Catull. Ruth wanted a font that felt both classic and modern.
Major Changes Over Time
The Google logo had its first big update on May 6, 2010. While it still used the same font, the colors became a bit brighter, especially the second 'o', which turned more orange. The shadow effect behind the letters also became softer. This updated logo was first used for Google Search. Later, by November 15, 2010, this new design was used across all Google services, like Gmail and Google's main company branding.
On September 19, 2013, Google introduced a "flat" design for its logo. This meant the shadows were removed, making the logo look more modern and two-dimensional. The colors were also slightly adjusted. A small tweak happened on May 24, 2014, where some letters were moved just one pixel to make the logo look even better.
The 2015 Redesign: A Fresh Look
A very noticeable change happened on September 1, 2015. Google launched a completely new logo with a different style of letters. The colors stayed the same, but Google switched to a modern, simple font called Product Sans. This font was created especially by Google itself. This new design was made to look good on all kinds of devices, from big computer screens to small smartphones.
The Latest Update: Gradients in 2025
On May 12, 2025, Google updated its logo again, specifically for the Google app on iPhones and Pixel phones. The main change was in the colors. Instead of solid blocks of color, the logo now features a smooth blend, or "gradient," between the different colored sections. This new look connects visually with the logo of Google's smart AI assistant, Gemini.
- Google logos
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Initial Google logo from September 15, 1997 to September 27, 1998.
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Original logo in the Baskerville Bold typeface, used from September 28, 1998 to October 29, 1998. It uses a different color combination from the one in use today, with the initial "G" being colored green.
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The logo used from October 30, 1998 to May 30, 1999, differs from the previous version with an exclamation mark added to the end, an increased shadow, letters more rounded, and different letter hues. Note that the color of the initial G changed from green to blue. This color sequence is still used today, although with different hues and font.
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The company logo changed to one based on the Catull typeface and was used from May 31, 1999 to November 14, 2010. The exclamation mark was removed, and it remained the basis for the logo until August 31, 2015.
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The logo used from May 6, 2010 to November 14, 2010 for Google Search, showing a reduced distance of the projected shadow, a change in the second "o" to a different yellow hue and a more flattened lettering.
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The company logo changed from the previous version introduced on May 31, 1999 to the then-new logo originally introduced on May 6, 2010 for Google Search, and was used from November 15, 2010 to September 18, 2013. It is identical to the initial design of the logo introduced on May 6, 2010, but with some minor changes in the blue hues of the logo.
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The logo used from September 19, 2013 to August 31, 2015, showing flattened lettering and the removal of shadows.
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The logo used since September 1, 2015, featuring a new typeface, Product Sans. The colors remain unchanged from the previous logo.
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Fun Facts: Google Doodles
Have you ever noticed a special, artistic version of the Google logo when you visit the search page? These are called Google Doodles! They celebrate holidays, important historical events, and the birthdays of famous people.
The very first Google Doodle appeared in 1998 for the Burning Man Festival. Larry Page and Sergey Brin created it to let users know they were away from the office. Later, an intern named Dennis Hwang designed a doodle for Bastille Day in 2000. Today, a special team of Google employees, called "doodlers", creates these fun and creative logos.
The Colorless Google Logo
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Sometimes, Google uses a colorless version of its logo. This usually happens on a local homepage to show respect during a time of sadness or to remember an important event. For example, it was used in Poland in April 2010 to honor those affected by a plane crash. It was also used in China and Hong Kong to remember victims of an earthquake.
A special colorless logo, called the "Keystroke Logo," was introduced on September 7, 2010. It would light up with Google's standard colors as you typed the first six letters of your search.
More recently, a colorless Google logo was used on December 5, 2018, to honor George H. W. Bush after he passed away. It has also been used every Memorial Day since May 2019. In September 2022, it honored Queen Elizabeth II after her passing, and a black version was used for her funeral. It was also used in January 2025 to honor Jimmy Carter.
You might also see a white version of the colorless logo in Google Chrome when you set a background image on your homepage or use "dark mode" in your browser.
What is a Favicon?
A favicon is that tiny icon you see in your browser tab, next to the website's name. It helps you quickly identify a website. Google's favicon has also changed over time!
Google's first favicon, from 1999 to 2008, was a blue capital "G" on a white background, with a colorful border.
On May 30, 2008, a new favicon appeared. It showed a small blue "g" on a white background. This was designed to look good on smaller screens, like those on mobile devices.
Another new favicon was launched on January 9, 2009. This one had a white "g" on a background with red, green, blue, and yellow blocks of color. It was based on a design by a student named André Resende, who won a contest Google held. Google liked his design because it was easy to recognize and captured the spirit of Google.
From August 13, 2012, to August 31, 2015, the favicon was a small white "g" centered on a solid light blue background.
On September 1, 2015, a new favicon was introduced along with the main logo redesign. This one features a capital "G" in the new Google font, with segments colored red, yellow, green, and blue. In May 2025, this favicon was updated with a gradient between its colored segments. This matches the gradient seen in the logo for Google's AI chatbot, Gemini.
