What were Levi's 501 jeans originally called?

Levi’s 501 jeans were originally called waist overalls.

The term reflected the garment’s role as durable workwear rather than fashionable trousers. The early version consisted of denim or cotton trousers reinforced with copper rivets at high-stress points, especially the pockets, and was worn by workers in physically demanding jobs.

Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patented the rivet-reinforced design in 1873. Levi’s later used numbered lot designations, and the number 501 became associated with its leading denim model around 1890. The company continued using “waist overalls” for years, even as consumers increasingly called the garments jeans.

“Overalls” can cause a modern misunderstanding because many people now use the word for bib-and-brace garments. Early Levi’s waist overalls were different: they were waist-high trousers with suspender buttons and no bib. The 501 gradually acquired the familiar five-pocket configuration and other recognizable details over its long history.