Google’s birthday falls on September 27 this year, marking the company’s 28th year since its founding in 1998. The search engine giant, now part of Alphabet Inc., traditionally marks the occasion with a homepage doodle and a message thanking users worldwide.
When Was Google Actually Founded
Google’s birthday has never had one single fixed date in the company’s own history. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, both doctoral students at Stanford University, began working on a search project called BackRub in 1996. The Google.com domain was registered on September 15, 1997, and the company was formally incorporated on September 4, 1998.
Despite these earlier dates, Google’s birthday is celebrated each year on September 27, a tradition the company has followed consistently since 2005.
Why September 27 Became Google’s Birthday
Google itself has acknowledged that the date is somewhat arbitrary. In past statements, the company said Google’s birthday has moved around over the years, depending on when people feel like having cake. Before settling on September 27, the company had marked its birthday on September 4, September 7, September 8 and September 26 in different years.
One widely cited reason for the September 27 date is that it coincided with an announcement about the size of Google’s search index in 2005, which the company chose to pair with its birthday celebration that year.
How Google Has Marked Its Birthday Over The Years
Google’s birthday is usually marked with a special Doodle on the homepage. Past birthday Doodles have included animated birthday cakes, countdowns of candles matching the company’s age, and retrospectives walking through changes to the Google logo since 1998.
On Google’s 25th birthday in 2023, the Doodle transformed the company name into G25gle, and then-CEO Sundar Pichai posted a message thanking users and employees for their role in the company’s growth. The following year, for Google’s 26th birthday, the homepage did not feature a dedicated Doodle, with the classic logo appearing instead.
For Google’s 27th birthday in 2025, the company used a nostalgic Doodle built around its original 1998 logo, reflecting on its journey from a research project to a global technology company.
From A Stanford Project To A Global Company
Google’s birthday celebrations each year are also a reminder of how far the company has expanded since its early days. What started as a search engine run out of a garage in California has grown into Alphabet Inc., with offices and data centers spread across more than 200 cities on six continents.
Sundar Pichai has served as Google’s CEO since October 2015 and later took on the same role at parent company Alphabet Inc. in December 2019, following Larry Page’s move to lead Alphabet after stepping down as Google’s CEO.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Google’s birthday celebrated?
Google’s birthday is celebrated every year on September 27, a date the company has used consistently since 2005.
Is September 27 the date Google was actually founded?
No. Google was incorporated on September 4, 1998. September 27 was adopted later and has been used as the company’s symbolic birthday since 2005.
Who founded Google?
Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who began working on the search engine as Stanford University doctoral students.
How old is Google in 2026?
Counting from its 1998 founding, Google turns 28 years old on its September 27, 2026 birthday.
Does Google always release a birthday Doodle?
Most years Google features a special Doodle on its homepage for the occasion, though in at least one recent year the classic logo appeared without a dedicated birthday design.