What Does WWE Stand For? The Name and Its History

WWE is one of the most famous names in entertainment, but plenty of people are not sure what the letters mean. Here is the answer, and how the company got its name.

What does WWE stand for?

WWE stands for World Wrestling Entertainment. Since April 2011 the company has used just the letters WWE as its main brand. Source: WWE on Wikipedia.

How the name changed over the years

• 1953: the company’s roots are in the Capitol Wrestling Corporation.
• 1963: it became the World Wide Wrestling Federation, or WWWF.
• 1979: the name was shortened to the World Wrestling Federation, or WWF.
• 2002: it became World Wrestling Entertainment after losing a dispute with the World Wildlife Fund over the WWF initials. The company also said the new name put the focus on entertainment.
• 2011: it began using WWE on its own as the brand.
• 2023: WWE merged with the parent company of the UFC to form TKO Group Holdings.

Why the old WWF name still matters to fans

Many of the most loved belts, such as the Winged Eagle and the Big Eagle, come from the WWF years, so the old name still shows up on classic replicas. Read the history of the Winged Eagle belt to see one of them.

WWE and WWF replica belts

Browse our WWE replica belts and classic WWF belts, handmade with heavy metal plates and a real leather strap, mostly $180 to $210. Our belts are fan replicas and are not made or licensed by WWE.

FAQ

What does WWE stand for?

World Wrestling Entertainment.

Why did WWF change its name?

It lost a dispute with the World Wildlife Fund over the WWF initials in 2002.

Who owns WWE now?

WWE is part of TKO Group Holdings, which also owns the UFC.