Nylon first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Nylon has been for the last 1 years (from 2023 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Nylon

A synthetic fiber made from coal, air, and water molecules.

Popularity of Nylon by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Nylon is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Nylon.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 6 0

The history of the first name Nylon

The given name Nylon is a relatively modern invention, having been coined in the 20th century by the American chemist Wallace Hume Carothers (1896-1937). It is not derived from any ancient language or culture, but rather from a combination of the words "no" and "ylon," which referred to the amide and alcohol groups present in the chemical compound's molecular structure.

The term Nylon was first used in 1935 to describe a synthetic polymer fiber developed by Carothers while working for the DuPont Company. Carothers and his team were searching for a silk-like material that could be mass-produced and used in various industrial applications, such as clothing, parachutes, and tire cords.

While Nylon is not a traditional given name, it has been adopted by some individuals as a unique and unconventional choice. One of the earliest examples of Nylon being used as a first name was Nylon Kathleen Leavitt, born in 1941 in the United States. Her parents, who worked in a nylon factory, chose the name to honor the innovative material that had become a symbol of modern technology and progress.

Another notable person named Nylon was Nylon Suzi, a pioneering punk rock musician from the United Kingdom. Born Susan Hendricks in 1958, she adopted the stage name Nylon Suzi and gained recognition as the lead singer of the band Nylon Beat in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In the world of sports, Nylon Curry was a professional basketball player from the United States. Born in 1992, he played college basketball at Virginia Tech before being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA in 2016.

Nylon Archibald was a British artist and sculptor known for his abstract works in various materials, including nylon fibers. Born in 1925, he was active in the London art scene during the post-war period and had several solo exhibitions throughout his career.

Lastly, Nylon Everest was a renowned mountaineer and explorer from Nepal. Born in 1954, he was part of several successful expeditions to Mount Everest and played a crucial role in establishing sustainable tourism practices in the Himalayan region.

While Nylon is not a traditional given name with deep historical roots, it has been adopted by a diverse group of individuals across different fields, reflecting the innovative and modern spirit of the material it was derived from.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Nylon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nylon, please contact us.

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"Nylon first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/nylon-meaning-and-history/.

"Nylon first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/nylon-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 5 July, 2025

Nylon first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/nylon-meaning-and-history/.

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