Facebook (English)

Where does "Facebook" come from?

The English word 'Facebook' derives from the earlier forms 'TheFacebook' and 'Facemash'[1]. It is a compound formed by combining 'face' and 'book', and it was likely modeled after the term 'namebook'[2].

Open questions

• The exact modeling of the compound after namebook is considered likely rather than certain. [2]

Full etymology tree

• Facebook (English), 'A social-networking website where users can find acquaintances or friends, exchange messages, and post updates.'
  • derived facebook (English), 'A reference book or electronic directory containing the photographs and names of various individuals.'
    • derived TheFacebook (English)
    • derived Facemash (English)
    • compound face (English), 'The front part of the head of a human or other animal, featuring the eyes, nose, and mouth, and the surrounding area.'
    • compound book (English), 'A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc.'
    • calque namebook (English), 'A book containing a registry of names.'

Descendants and derived words

• FAANG (English)
• Facebookable (English)
• facebooker (English)
• Facebook generation (English)
• Facebook jail (English)
• Facebookland (English)
• Facebook meme (English)
• Facebook official (English)
• Facebook slut (English)
• Facebooky (English)
• facemail (English)
• facemail (English)

Related words

• hashtag (English)
• algorithm (English)
• influencer (English)

Sources

1. Facebook (English) - Wiktionary
2. facebook (English) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

More words starting with F

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris