Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight incorporated Nike’s predecessor, Blue Ribbon Sports, in 1967; the business adopted the Nike name in 1971.
Knight and Bowerman had begun working together earlier, importing Japanese running shoes made by Onitsuka Tiger. Blue Ribbon Sports was formally incorporated in Oregon after operating as a distributor. Bowerman, an athletics coach, also experimented with shoe designs intended to improve runners’ performance.
The company introduced its own Nike-branded footwear in 1971 and changed its corporate name to Nike, Inc. in 1978. The name comes from Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory. The company’s famous Swoosh was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971, not by either founder.