The LEGO Group began in 1932 in Billund, Denmark, when carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen started making wooden toys in his workshop. In 1934 the company took the name "LEGO", derived from the Danish phrase "leg godt," meaning "play well."
In the late 1940s, LEGO began producing plastic toys, including early interlocking bricks called "Automatic Binding Bricks." The modern LEGO brick design with the stud-and-tube system was patented in 1958, allowing bricks to connect firmly while still being easy to separate.
LEGO continued to expand globally, introducing the Duplo product line for younger children in 1969 and the first minifigures in 1978. Over the decades, LEGO diversified its product lines, production facilities, and themes, becoming one of the most recognized toy brands worldwide.