The “swoosh” logo belongs to Nike, the American sportswear brand.
Graphic-design student Carolyn Davidson created the mark in 1971 while working with Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Its curved shape was intended to suggest motion and speed, and it also evokes the wing of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. The company adopted the symbol when Blue Ribbon Sports changed its name to Nike, Inc. in 1971.
For much of Nike’s history, the Swoosh appeared beside or beneath the word “NIKE.” Over time, the symbol became recognizable enough to appear by itself on shoes, clothing, equipment, and advertising. Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan was introduced in 1988 and is commonly associated with the logo, but it is a separate brand element.
A common mix-up is treating “Swoosh” as the company name. It is specifically the logo; Nike is the sportswear brand. Reebok, Puma, and Adidas use different marks and do not own the Swoosh.