What was Nike called before it adopted the Nike name in 1971?

Nike was called Blue Ribbon Sports before adopting the Nike name in 1971. The company was founded in Oregon in 1964 by track coach Bill Bowerman and his former student Phil Knight. It initially imported and sold Japanese Onitsuka Tiger running shoes in the United States.

Blue Ribbon Sports began developing its own footwear as its relationship with Onitsuka ended. The new Nike name came from the Greek goddess of victory, and the company introduced its first shoe under that name in 1971. Carolyn Davidson designed the Swoosh logo that same year.

A common mix-up is to treat Nike as the company’s original name. In fact, Blue Ribbon Sports remained the corporate name for several years after the Nike brand appeared. The business later changed its legal name to Nike, Inc. in 1978, reflecting the growing importance of its own products and branding.