Product names

Shorten Google product names

When referring to a Google product, sometimes you might want to abbreviate the product name. For example, when you're referring to Google Spreadsheets, it can be awkward to refer to it as Google Spreadsheets every time; sometimes you might want to call it Spreadsheets.

Use the full trademarked product name. Don't abbreviate product names except for cases where you are following the UI or are limited by space constraints (as in a table heading). In that case, make it clear that you're talking about the Google product and not some other thing with a similar name.

If you use a product name as a modifier, pay close attention to which article precedes the product name. For example, consider Firebase Authentication (the long name) and Authentication (the short name). You would write a Firebase Authentication environment, but an Authentication environment.

Possessives of product names

For information about forming possessives with product names, see Product, feature, and company names.

Use "the" with product names

Don't use the before a product name unless you're using the name to qualify something else. Do use the before tool and API names.

Use "service" to refer to multiple products

It's OK to refer to Google products as services, such as the Google Kubernetes Engine service or the Compute Engine service. However, if the term services leads to ambiguity, use the product names.

Don't use product names as verbs

Don't use product names or feature names as verbs.