The website was created by [[Jeff Atwood]] and [[Joel Spolsky]] in 2008.<ref name="introducing"/> The name for the website was chosen by voting in April 2008 by readers of ''Coding Horror'', Atwood's programming blog.<ref name="help_name">{{cite web|author=Jeff Atwood|date=2008-04-06|title=Help Name Our Website|url=http://blog.codinghorror.com/help-name-our-website/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416073345/http://blog.codinghorror.com/help-name-our-website/|archive-date=16 April 2015|access-date=2014-07-15|work=Coding Horror}}</ref> On 31 July 2008, Jeff Atwood sent out invitations encouraging his subscribers to take part in the private beta of the new website, limiting its use to those willing to test out the new software. On 15 September 2008 it was announced that the public beta version was in session and that the general public was now able to use it to seek assistance on programming related issues. The design of the Stack Overflow logo was decided by a voting process.<ref>{{cite web|title=J.Atwood & J.Spolsky founding stackoverflow.com – but we need a logo.|url=http://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/logo-stackoverflow-6774/brief#contest-breadcrumbs|publisher=99Designs.com|access-date=23 May 2014|date=30 April 2008|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182732/http://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/logo-stackoverflow-6774/brief#contest-breadcrumbs|url-status=live}}</ref>
On 3 May 2010, it was announced that Stack Overflow had raised $6 million in venture capital from a group of investors led by [[Union Square Ventures]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Ha|first=Anthony|title=Stack Overflow raises $6M to take its Q&A model beyond programming|url=https://venturebeat.com/2010/05/04/stack-overflow-funding/|publisher=VentureBeat|access-date=23 May 2014|date=4 May 2010|quote=The money we've raised means that, for the next ($6m / monthly burn rate) months, we can take on new projects, hire new people, and build new expert Q&A sites on a wide variety of new topics. Instead of opening sites in exchange for money, we’re about to launch a new, democratic system where anyone can propose a Q&A site, and, if it gets a critical mass of interested people, we'll create it.|archive-date=21 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421001812/http://venturebeat.com/2010/05/04/stack-overflow-funding/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2019, Stack Overflow named Prashanth Chandrasekar as its chief executive officer and Teresa Dietrich as its chief product officer.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fried |first1=Ina |title=Axios Login: Take Note |url=https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-a3657826-f987-4435-a235-bff280080da6.html?chunk=4#story4 |access-date=26 February 2020 |publisher=Axios |date=25 September 2019 |archive-date=10 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510194411/https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-login-a3657826-f987-4435-a235-bff280080da6.html?chunk=4#story4 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In June 2021, [[Prosus]], a Netherlands-based subsidiary of [[South Africa]]n media company [[Naspers]], announced a deal to acquire Stack Overflow for $1.8 billion.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dummett |first1=Ben |title=Stack Overflow Sold to Tech Giant Prosus for $1.8 Billion |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/software-developer-community-stack-overflow-sold-to-tech-giant-prosus-for-1-8-billion-11622648400 |access-date=2 June 2021 |publisher=Wall St. Journal |date=2 June 2021 |archive-date=29 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029175938/https://www.wsj.com/articles/software-developer-community-stack-overflow-sold-to-tech-giant-prosus-for-1-8-billion-11622648400 |url-status=live }}</ref>
