Nylon Was Not Named After New York and London
Nylon is a synthetic fibre. The popular story that its name combines New York and London is false, and the company said so.
Nylon is a strong synthetic fibre developed by DuPont in the 1930s. The story that the name combines New York and London is repeated everywhere and is wrong: DuPont's own account describes a naming committee that started from *no-run*, meaning the stockings would not ladder, then altered it to *nuron*, then *nilon*, then *nylon* to fix the spelling and pronunciation. The company issued corrections for decades. Nylon stockings went on sale in 1940 and sold four million pairs in four days.
- A synthetic fibre. *Nylon rope.*
- Nylons — stockings. *A pair of nylons.*
- Polymer — its chemical class. *A polyamide polymer.*
- DuPont — the developer. *DuPont chemists.*
- No-run — the naming starting point. *From no-run.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | nylon | Nylon thread. |
| Plural | nylons | A pair of nylons. |
| Adjective | nylon | A nylon jacket. |
| Class | polyamide | A polyamide. |
| Year | 1935 | First synthesised. |
- The rope is nylon.Material.
- Stockings sold out in 1940.History.
- The New York and London story is false.Correction.
How nylon changed things
- First fully synthetic fibre made from petrochemicals
- Stockings launched in 1940 and sold out immediately
- Diverted to war use in 1941 for parachutes and rope
- Toothbrush bristles were an early application
- Still used for rope, gears, fishing line and clothing
Coined by DuPont in 1938, developed from *no-run* through *nuron* and *nilon* to a spelling that read unambiguously.
Does nylon stand for New York and London?
No. DuPont's own records describe a naming process starting from no-run. The city story is a persistent myth.
Why did nylon stockings disappear in the war?
Production was diverted to parachutes, ropes and tyre cords, making stockings almost unobtainable until 1945.