NewsWeird NewsRay-BanRay-Ban sunglasses have been popular for decades – but despite this, fashion fans are only just learning the clever meaning behind the popular brand name12:19, 25 May 2026Ray-Ban’s story starts in the 1930s, when sunglasses weren’t really a fashion statement so much as a practical fix. The eyewear brand was created in 1937 by Bausch & Lomb in the US, after the Army Air Corps wanted eyewear that could cut glare for pilots at high altitude.‌From there, Ray-Bans became popular for a pretty straightforward reason: the designs stuck. Shapes like the Wayfarer (introduced in 1952) weren’t trend-chasing; they were simple, distinctive and easy to wear, which meant they could be picked up by almost anyone and still feel like “them”.‌Add in decades of visibility on famous faces — from wartime imagery and musicians to film and TV — and the frames gradually became part of the visual shorthand for certain eras and attitudes.‌Notable Ray-Ban popular culture moments include Tom Cruise wearing Aviators in Top Gun, Bon Dylan being photographed in Wayfarers and David Beckham rocking the Clubmasters.However, despite the sunnies being popular for decades, there's some fun trivia that people are only just learning. For one, fashion fans were pretty gobsmacked to find out what the "Ray-Bans" brand name actually means.‌Taking to Reddit's 'Shower Thoughts' forum, one user revealed they'd only just learned the hidden meaning behind Ray-Ban's brand name.They wrote: "It just dawned on me, Ray-Ban is not just a name. It's about banning sunrays. I'm 23 years old and it just never occurred to me."The Redditor is correct, this is where part of the inspiration came from. When the brand was founded, US Army Air Corps Colonel John MacCready wanted aviation sunglasses capable of minimising distractions at high altitude.‌After all, his fellow pilots were used to being hindered by sun glare, fog and UV rays. So to combat this issue, MacCready worked with Bausch & Lomb, a medical instrument manufacturer in New York, for seven years.The collaborators created Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses, which gave the brand its name. While the origin story makes a lot of sense, countless fashionistas admitted they never linked Ray-Ban with literally "banning rays".One confessed: "I never noticed this." Another said: "The more you know...." And a third joked: "So if you were wearing your Ray-Bans when this happened, it dawned on you, but it wasn't blindingly obvious."Article continues belowWell I never, you learn something new every day!Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌SunglassesRay-BanFashionUmm what?