Phil Knight on the Surprising Origin Story of Nike’s Name and Swoosh

Would Nike still be Nike if it had been named Dimension Six?

Detail of the Air Jordan Nike shoes worn by Michael Jordan during a game in Washington, D.C., in 1985. Photo: Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Editor’s Note: In this excerpt from his memoir Shoe Dog, the founder of Nike, Phil Knight, shares how Nike got its name and logo.

The year was 1971. My shoe company — at the time called Blue Ribbon — and Onitsuka, our…