People are only just realising what Durex stands for - so, can you guess?

Daily Mail​

27-04-2025

It's one of the most well-known – and well-used – brands in the world.
But do you know what Durex actually stands for?
Their products are commonly found in supermarket shelves, in bathroom cabinets and even in wallets.
And they go by a variety of different names – including 'protection', 'rubber' and 'johnny'.
While precise sales figures aren't available, it's the best-selling condom brand in the UK.
Despite this, many people haven't realised what the name of the condom brand actually means.
Those who guessed it's a mashup of 'During Sex' are wrong.
So, can you work it out?
Founded in 1915, it started off as The London Rubber Company before changing its name to Durex in 1929.
And it turns out the name is actually an acronym, standing for Durability, Reliability, Excellence.
These were the three words chosen to represent the brand at the time, and have stuck ever since.
The company has been at the forefront of advancements in condom manufacturing over the years, introducing electronic testing in 1953 and releasing the world's first anatomically-shaped condom in 1969.
They also became the first condom brand to market a product that was both ribbed and dotted in 2001.
Their website reads: 'We've been making condoms with the finest raw materials since 1929, so we know a thing or two about performance.
'And we don't just mean in the bedroom (or wherever you're doing it).
'Our condoms are electronically tested for holes, dermatologically tested for comfort, and they perform better than standard in global quality tests, so everyone everywhere is free to enjoy sex that feels good with anyone, anywhere.
'We partner with people who know all about sex.
'They're health professionals, scientists and academics, and they're on a mission to help us make sex feel good.'
Online, people have been shocked to learn what the brand name stands for.
One person on Instagram said: 'I thought it was an acronym for DURing sEX.'
Meanwhile on X, another user wrote: 'What I learned today: The Durex name stands for DUrability, Reliability, EXcellence.'
Helen Ward, a professor of public health at Imperial College London, added: 'I didn't know that Durex stands for DUrability, Reliability, EXcellence.'
The true meaning behind the Durex name was recently revealed by Preply, an online language class platform.
In 2023, Durex carried out a survey which revealed British men are buying the wrong size condoms because they're too embarrassed to buy the right – often smaller – fit.
A group of men were quizzed on their condom-buying habits and a whopping 92 per cent revealed they opted for an ill-fitting 'regular' fit.
The study implies that these men knew a size small was the best fit.
Meanwhile on the flipside, it's the same case for those with larger manhoods, who are apparently too shy to purchase bigger condoms.
To solve the puzzle, Durex launched an online fitting service to encourage men to purchase their real size - and feel no shame about it.