What do the Toyota name and logo mean?

Toyota Name and Logo Explained

We’re so inundated with all the branding in the US that many of us don’t know where our favorite brands get their names or logos from. When you stop to think about it, it’s kind of weird how little we know about the companies we buy from. Well, we can help you out with at least one company!

Let us explain what the Toyota name and logo mean.

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What the Toyota Name Means

Toyota is a variation of the name Toyoda. The original Toyoda company invented and produced numerous types of looms. In 1933, Toyoda decided to foray into the automotive market, expanding greatly in 1956 after steady successes. Toyoda means “fertile rice patty” referring to Japan’s most prominent cash crop. To distinguish themselves from the agricultural connotations of Toyoda Loom Inc., they changed their name to Toyota, which is similar sounding, but without ties to the farming industry. In the Japanese alphabet, Toyoda takes ten strokes to write, where Toyota only needs eight. Not only is Toyota easier to write, but eight is a lucky number in Japan, so the change was perceived as auspicious.

What the Toyota Logo Means

The Toyota logo as it is today had its American debut in 1990. It shows three overlapping ellipses, each of which represents an important facet of Toyota as a company. The column-like ellipsis in the middle and the perpendicular ellipsis perched on top represent the “unification of the hearts of [Toyota] customers and the heart of Toyota products.” The final ellipsis—the one that surrounds the other two—represents Toyota’s drive for technical innovation, as well as future possibilities and opportunities.

What does Toyota mean to you?

Why not tell us and our customers what your Toyota means to you? Leave a review! Experience the Toyota difference with ToyotaCare, and you’ll wonder why you ever put up other cars’ issues.