Durex is one of the most famous condom brands in the world, but many people are only just discovering what the name actually means.
A lot of people assumed it stood for something cheeky, like “during sex.” But the truth is far less obvious.
The company started life as The London Rubber Company in 1915 before rebranding to Durex in 1929. Over the years it became a pioneer in sexual health, introducing electronic condom testing in 1953, the first anatomically shaped condom in 1969, and later launching ribbed and dotted condoms in 2001.
As for the name itself, Durex is actually an acronym. It stands for Durability, Reliability and Excellence—qualities the brand wanted to represent from the very beginning.
When people found out, reactions online were filled with surprise. Comments included:
- “I thought it meant DURing sEX.”
- “Mind blown. Just learned it actually means Durability, Reliability, Excellence.”
Even health experts have admitted they didn’t know the truth behind the name.
So, while most of us grew up thinking Durex had a playful meaning, the reality is that it was always about branding itself as strong, trustworthy, and high quality.
