Uber's name evolved from its original branding as "UberCab." The founders, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, chose the word "Uber" because it is derived from the German word über, meaning "above," "over," or "beyond." In common English slang at the time (and still today), "uber" was used to mean "super" or "the ultimate," signifying that their service was intended to be a premium, high-end alternative to traditional taxi services. The original idea was a black-car service that allowed people to "ride like a billionaire" for a fraction of the cost. However, shortly after launching in San Francisco in 2010, the company ran into legal trouble with the city's transit authorities because they were using the word "Cab" in their name without being a licensed taxi company. To resolve the regulatory pressure and move away from the "cab" stigma, they simply dropped the second half of the name and rebranded as "Uber" in late 2010. This change actually worked in their favor, as it made the brand sound more modern, versatile, and less like a transportation company and more like a tech platform, eventually allowing them to expand into UberEats, UberFreight, and beyond.