Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name?

Posted by resdirector on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:09AM
from the ask-hn dept.

I've often wondered why the incubator Y Combinator is called "Y Combinator". Obviously it has something to do with the fixed point combinator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_point_combinator), but after reading that, I fail to see the connection to the Y Combinator program.

Maybe I'm missing something completely obvious. Can anyone fill me in?

( 8 comments | 4 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by pg on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:17AM (#2391636)

http://ycombinator.com/faq.html

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by wh-uws on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:33AM (#2391714)

Quoting the FAQ:

"Why did you choose the name "Y Combinator?"

The Y combinator is one of the coolest ideas in computer science. It's also a metaphor for what we do. It's a program that runs programs; we're a company that helps start companies."

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Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by popsteven on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:34AM (#2391722)

ahhhh guess i should've read the FAQ's ^.^ ty.

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Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by resdirector on Thursday March 31, 2011 @11:06AM (#2391880)

Ah...I guess I should have read the faqs, too!

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Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by _pius on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:17AM (#2391640)

Search for "name" here: http://ycombinator.com/faq.html

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Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by mihn on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:13AM (#2391615)

Something to do with sex chromosomes, maybe? :)

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Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by popsteven on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:34AM (#2391724)

lmao

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Re:Ask HN: How did Y Combinator get its name? by popsteven on Thursday March 31, 2011 @10:34AM (#2391715)

ya for real. How did they lol?

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