Ivy League Inspiration: 20 Creative Meeting Room Names for Your Workplace

Harvard. Oxford. MIT. These names carry instant weight. Say them in any country, in any industry, and people know exactly what you mean. That universal recognition is what makes university names such effective meeting room labels — they're familiar, they sound distinguished, and they come with built-in associations that generic room numbers never will.

Here are 20 university-inspired meeting room names that work across industries and office sizes.

Why University Names Work

University names do a few things at once. They're short enough to fit on a door sign or booking calendar. They're easy to spell. And they signal ambition without being heavy-handed about it.

There's also a practical benefit: most people already know how to pronounce "Stanford" or "Cambridge." You won't get the blank stares that come with obscure mythological figures or made-up compound words.

For companies that value learning, research, or professional development, these names reinforce that identity in a quiet, consistent way. Every time someone books "MIT Media Lab" for a meeting, the name does a small amount of cultural work in the background.

A strong workplace culture is built from hundreds of small decisions like this one.

American Universities

1. Harvard Yard — The historic heart of Harvard's campus. A solid name for your main conference room or the room where important decisions happen.
2. MIT Media Lab — MIT's interdisciplinary research lab is known for bridging art, science, and technology. Good for creative or cross-functional team rooms.
3. Stanford Grove — Stanford's campus is famous for its palm-lined paths and open quads. The name suggests a relaxed but serious atmosphere.
4. Yale Gallery — Yale has one of the oldest university art collections in the Western hemisphere. Works well for a room with a visual focus — design reviews, presentations.
5. Princeton Tower — Princeton's Gothic architecture gives this name an air of solidity. Fits a formal meeting space.
6. Columbia Den — Columbia sits in the middle of New York City. The name carries urban energy. A good pick for a fast-paced team.
7. Caltech Lab — Caltech is small but punches well above its weight in research output. Fitting for a compact, high-output huddle room.
8. Penn Commons — "Commons" suggests a shared, open space. The University of Pennsylvania's Quaker roots add a note of egalitarianism.
9. Berkeley Forum — UC Berkeley is synonymous with debate, free speech, and big ideas. A natural name for a room where open discussion is the point.
10. Cornell Terrace — Cornell's campus overlooks Cayuga Lake in upstate New York. "Terrace" works especially well for rooms with a view.

International Universities

11. Oxford Union — The Oxford Union is one of the world's most famous debating societies. Use this for the room where arguments are expected and welcomed.
12. Cambridge Commons — Cambridge and Oxford are often mentioned together, but Cambridge has its own distinct character — more scientific, more understated.
13. Sorbonne Salon — The University of Paris dates back to the 12th century. "Salon" nods to the French intellectual tradition of gathering and talking.
14. ETH Zurich Summit — The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology produced Einstein, among others. "Summit" suggests high-level discussion.
15. Tokyo Tech Hive — Japan's leading engineering university. "Hive" signals busy, focused collaboration.
16. Heidelberg Hall — Germany's oldest university, founded in 1386. The name has a formal, historic tone.
17. Tsinghua Garden — Tsinghua University in Beijing is known for its beautiful campus grounds. A calm, thoughtful name for a quieter meeting space.
18. McGill Maple — McGill University in Montreal. "Maple" is unmistakably Canadian and easy to remember.
19. Bologna Portico — The University of Bologna is the oldest university in continuous operation, dating to 1088. "Portico" references the city's famous covered walkways.
20. St. Andrews Links — Scotland's University of St. Andrews is the third oldest in the English-speaking world. "Links" nods to the town's golfing heritage, which gives it a slightly playful edge.

Tips for Rolling These Out

A few things to keep in mind when putting university names on your rooms:

1. Group by geography if you have enough rooms. An "American" wing and an "International" wing makes the system intuitive. People will remember that the big conference room is "somewhere in the European section."
2. Add a small plaque or note with the founding year. "Bologna Portico — Est. 1088" is a nice touch and gives visitors something to notice.
3. Match the room to the name's associations. Put "Oxford Union" on the room with the big table where debates happen. Put "Tsinghua Garden" on the quiet room people use for focused work.
4. Don't overthink the decor. You don't need to recreate a dorm room. A subtle color accent or a framed photo of the campus is plenty.

What Comes After Naming

Good names help people talk about rooms. "Let's meet in Bologna" is more memorable than "Let's meet in Room 4B." But names alone don't solve the operational side — knowing which rooms are available, avoiding double-bookings, and making sure your best spaces aren't sitting empty half the day.

As your team grows and you accommodate more people in the office, room management becomes a real logistical challenge. Names help with wayfinding. Systems help with everything else.

Once you've picked out names for your meeting rooms, you'll want a system to manage bookings and availability. WOX's room booking solution makes it easy to see which rooms are free, book recurring meetings, and keep everything organized — so your beautifully named rooms actually get used.