LEGO.
The name of the toy LEGO is an abbreviation of two Danish words: “leg godt,” which mean “play well.” LEGO was founded in 1932 by a Danish carpenter named Ole Kirk Christiansen. Originally, the company made wooden toys and household goods, but in 1947, it became one of the first companies in Denmark to purchase a plastic injection molding machine. This allowed them to begin producing the now-iconic interlocking plastic bricks that would revolutionize the toy industry.
The name “LEGO” was coined in 1934 by Christiansen, who combined the first two letters of leg (play) and godt (well). Interestingly, the company later discovered that “lego” in Latin loosely translates to “I put together” or “I assemble,” a happy coincidence given the nature of the toy.
LEGO bricks, as we know them today, were introduced in 1958, with a unique interlocking stud-and-tube system that allows for stable, versatile building. Since then, LEGO has become a global phenomenon, inspiring generations of children (and adults) to build, create, and imagine. The toy’s simplicity, combined with its potential for complexity and creativity, has made it timeless and universally loved.
Beyond just being a toy, LEGO has expanded into video games, theme parks (like LEGOLAND), movies (such as The LEGO Movie), and even educational robotics sets used in classrooms around the world. The brand has maintained its core philosophy of encouraging imaginative play, creativity, and hands-on learning, all of which are encapsulated in its name: “play well.”
<