What website is named after a fictional character created by the humorous 20th century British writer P.G. Wodehouse?

The website named after a fictional character created by the humorous 20th-century British writer P.G. Wodehouse is Ask Jeeves. This early internet search engine, launched in 1997, was conceived with the idea of a virtual "gentleman's personal gentleman" who could retrieve answers to any question a user might ask, much like a knowledgeable and efficient valet. The character of Jeeves perfectly embodied this concept, promising a refined and helpful search experience.

Jeeves is the iconic valet to the amiable but often clueless Bertie Wooster in P.G. Wodehouse's beloved series of comedic novels and short stories. First appearing in 1915, Jeeves quickly became renowned for his impeccable problem-solving skills, vast general knowledge, and unflappable demeanor, consistently extricating Bertie and his friends (Review) from various social predicaments and romantic entanglements. His sophisticated wit and subtle manipulations, often carried out without Bertie's full understanding, made him a cultural archetype for the ideal, all-knowing servant.

The choice to name the search engine "Ask Jeeves" was a clever nod to this literary figure, suggesting that users could rely on the website to provide intelligent and discreet solutions to their queries, just as Bertie relied on his valet. While the website later rebranded to simply Ask.com in 2006, the original name perfectly captured the ambition of providing a user-friendly, question-and-answer focused search experience in the burgeoning days of the internet.