I’ve been wondering about the meaning behind the n8n name and came up with my own theory. My guess is that it represents the concept of connecting multiple nodes together in endless ways. The number 8 might symbolize infinity turned sideways, suggesting unlimited connections and workflows. It’s like when we write mathematical sequences with n representing any number of elements. In this case, it could mean n nodes linking to n other nodes, creating infinite automation possibilities. I know this might sound like I’m reading too much into it, but the symbolism seems pretty clever if that’s what they intended. Has anyone else thought about this or does anyone know the real story behind the naming?
Actually, n8n stands for “nodemation” - if you count the letters between ‘n’ and ‘n’ in the word “nodemation”, there are 8 letters, hence n8n. It’s similar to how other tech companies use numeronyms like i18n for “internationalization” or k8s for “Kubernetes”. The founders confirmed this in one of their early blog posts when they launched the platform. Your theory about the infinity symbol is creative though, and honestly it works well with what the tool does even if it wasn’t the original intention. The name is pretty fitting either way since it’s all about connecting nodes to automate workflows.
I remember looking this up a while back when I first started using the platform. The name comes from “node automation” shortened to n8n - there are exactly 8 letters between the first ‘n’ and last ‘n’ in “nodeautomation” if you write it as one word. It’s the same naming pattern you see with other tools like a11y for accessibility or l10n for localization. What’s interesting is that the creators picked this approach because it’s memorable and reflects the core functionality of connecting nodes for automation. I’ve been using n8n for about two years now and the name definitely grows on you once you understand the logic behind it.
wait im pretty sure its just n + 8 letters + n from “automation” not nodemation or nodeautomation lol. if you take the word automation and count whats between the first n and last n you get 8 chars. seems way simpler than all these complex theories but maybe im wrong idk