Levi Strauss & Co. began officially using the word “jeans” instead of “waist overalls” in 1960.
For decades, the company’s riveted trousers were commonly called waist overalls, reflecting their origins as sturdy work clothing. The word jeans had already become widespread in American speech, especially as denim moved from laborers’ clothing into youth and casual fashion.
The company’s terminology change reflected that cultural shift. By 1960, “jeans” was the clearer modern label for the product, and “waist overalls” sounded increasingly old-fashioned. The change did not create the word jeans; it changed the company’s official product language.
This date is often confused with major individual-model milestones, such as the introduction of the 501 lot number or later women’s and fashion lines. Those events belong to different stages of Levi Strauss history.