Mercedes-Benz Logo Meaning Explained

To understand the Mercedes-Benz logo’s meaning, we have to go back in time. The year is 1886, and during the summer, a public road in Germany is bearing witness to history. Shocking passersby with his remarkable self-propelled machine, Karl Benz is conducting the first true test of his invention — what we now call the automobile. The rest is history, and Benz's legacy proudly lives on through every vehicle you'll find in our new Mercedes-Benz inventory.

Along the way, though, twists and turns helped shape the company as we now know it. So buckle up: We're going on a journey through history to uncover how this iconic three-pointed star that serves as the Mercedes-Benz logo came to be.

Benz and Daimler: Great Minds Think Alike

When Karl Benz made history in 1886, Gottlieb Daimler was following a very similar path. Both men were seasoned German engineers, and both had spent years working on their engine designs. In fact, Daimler and his business partner Wilhelm Maybach had brought their own internal combustion engine to life in 1885. Adapting it for use in a horse-drawn carriage, this engine powered the second automobile to hit the road. That's because it was successfully tested just a few months after Benz's automobile patent was awarded.

Bringing essentially the same idea to life, the two men also founded their own companies with a similar purpose. Benz founded Benz & Cie, while Daimler created Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) in 1890. That being said, it was Daimler's company who created the first Mercedes vehicle, doing so in 1900. Where did the "Mercedes" name come from, though? You see, at the time, almost every automobile was a high-end luxury item. Wealthy entrepreneur and businessman Emil Jellinek promoted DMG vehicles to European high society and then commissioned one of his own. Named after his daughter, Mércedès Jellinek, the Mercedes 35 hp was the first to bear her name.

It would be far from the last, as DMG patented the Mercedes symbol — then just "Mercedes" spelled out — and name in 1901. Meanwhile, Emil Jellinek obtained rights and technically became the first Mercedes-Benz dealer in history. Using the Mercedes name to brand DMG production cars, things continued prosperously for both DMG and Benz & Cie. But WWI changed that, and the two brands joined forces in 1926 to create Daimler-Benz. The Mercedes designation was adapted, and "Mercedes-Benz'' began to adorn Daimler-Benz automobiles.

The Birth of the Mercedes-Benz Symbol

The rest is history, with motorsports glory, landmark production car achievements, and a dedication to quality propelling the brand into what we know today. But that brings us back to the Mercedes-Benz logo’s meaning. Firstly, both had their own symbols, and Karl Benz’s logo was a laurel motif. While the three-pointed star is typically thought of as the logo, look closer at the Mercedes-Benz badge, and you'll still see Benz's laurels on most of them today.

But the three-point star truly is the focus here, and it comes from Daimler's history. You see, before his first automobile, Daimler had been working across Germany from where his family lived with dreams of starting his own engine factory. That dream did come true, but in 1870 he had been sending postcards back to his wife with his current residence marked using a gold star you now know as the Mercedes logo. Writing that the star would "one day... shine over our triumphant factories," another meaning behind it was their hopes of making engines for land, air, and sea vehicles — which indeed also came to fruition.

The logo evolved over the years, becoming the white star surrounded by Benz's laurels that's now so iconic. This is the Mercedes-Benz logo’s meaning in a nutshell. Of course, there are more details, but we could fill a feature-length documentary with them. So whether you buy one from an inventory of new or used vehicles for sale, know that every Mercedes-Benz has a rich history backing it, and one that spans back to the birth of the automobile itself.

Discover a Mercedes-Benz of Your own at Ed Hicks Imports

We hope you enjoyed this look at the Mercedes-Benz logo’s meaning and the birth of the brand as a whole. At Ed Hicks Imports, we're passionate about every aspect of Mercedes-Benz, and we'd love to help you get into one of your own. Stop by our dealership and we'll help answer all the questions you may have about the Mercedes-Benz lineup, and give you a taste of the luxury and power by setting up a test drive.

Mercedes-Benz Logo Meaning Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 3-point star mean?

It comes from Gottlieb Daimler's past, with a couple of meanings behind it. The first is that while working a job away from his family, Daimler had sent a postcard marking his residence with a 3-point star. Writing that it would one day shine over a factory of his own, the other meaning involves his second dream of making engines that would dominate the land, air, and sea.

Who made the Mercedes-Benz logo?

Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz technically did. While Daimler didn't pen the star with the intent of making a logo, it was more of a sentimental charm for prosperity. He had been working across the country from his family and drew a 3-pointed gold star on his postcards back home to show his current residence. Karl Benz meanwhile used a laurel as his logo, and when Mercedes-Benz was created in 1926, the two logos joined together.

What is the Mercedes-Benz logo called?

There's no distinct name for it, but you can call the Mercedes-Benz logo a 3-pointed star. Originally gold, the 3-pointed star was turned silver to celebrate the brand's first Nürburgring Grand Prix in 1934. Whether it's new, used, or vintage beyond compare, the 3-pointed star has stood strong as a symbol of quality, luxury, and great performance.