Nike was originally founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports.
Bill Bowerman, a track-and-field coach, and Phil Knight, a former student and middle-distance runner, established Blue Ribbon Sports to distribute Japanese running shoes made by Onitsuka Tiger. The business initially operated as a footwear distributor rather than as a shoe manufacturer.
The company began producing its own footwear in the 1970s and adopted the Nike name in 1971. Nike is named after the ancient Greek goddess of victory. Its famous Swoosh logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971.
A common mix-up is treating 1964 as the date Nike adopted its current name. The corporate name changed from Blue Ribbon Sports to Nike, Inc. in 1971, so 1964 refers to the company's beginning, not the Nike rebranding.