There is a name for a one with a hundred zeros after it, googleplex. Why don't shorter numbers, such as 1 with 23 or 42 zeros after it, have a name ? At least I've never seen them given a name. I understand something better when it has a name.

Googleplex - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googleplex)

The number with a hundred zeros after it is called a googol, not a googolplex. A googolplex is a 1 with a googol zeros after it.

You'll find this interesting:

Names of large numbers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_large_numbers)

I thought a googolplex was a googol to the googol power.

No, it's 10 to the googol power.