Why Is Rugby So Called? The Real Origin of the Name

Ever wonder why a sport played with an oval ball, tackled like a wrestling match, and passed backward like a secret code is called rugby? It’s not because of a person named Rugby, and it’s not because the players wear rubber boots (even though they do). The answer is simpler-and way older-than you think.

The School That Started It All

In 1823, at Rugby School, a private boarding school in the town of Rugby, England, a 16-year-old boy named William Webb Ellis did something that broke the rules. During a game of football-a game that looked more like soccer than what we now call rugby-he picked up the ball and ran with it. No one had done that before. The rules at the time only allowed kicking the ball. But Ellis did it anyway. Whether he actually did it or if it’s just a story made up later doesn’t matter much. What does matter is that people at the school started doing the same thing. And they liked it.

By the 1840s, the version of football played at Rugby School had its own set of rules. It allowed carrying the ball, tackling, and even scoring by grounding the ball over the goal line. It was different from the football played in other schools. And because it came from Rugby School, people started calling it “Rugby’s game” or just “Rugby.”

From Schoolyard to Society

When students from Rugby School went off to university or joined the military, they brought the game with them. At Cambridge University in the 1840s, students tried to create a unified set of football rules. But the Rugby School players refused to give up their version. They stuck to carrying the ball. This split caused the first real divide in football: the踢球派 (kicking group) and the 携球派 (carrying group).

In 1871, 21 clubs from across England met at the Pall Mall Restaurant in London to form the Rugby Football Union. That’s when the name stuck officially. The sport was no longer just “the game from Rugby School.” It was now Rugby Football. The word “football” was added because it was still considered a type of football-just a different kind. The name didn’t change because the ball was oval. It didn’t change because of the way it was played. It changed because of where it was invented.

The Ball That Wasn’t Supposed to Be Oval

Here’s a fun twist: the ball wasn’t always oval. Early rugby balls were made from pig bladders, inflated by mouth. They were roundish, but uneven. When leather casings were added, they followed the shape of the bladder inside. Over time, makers realized an oval shape was easier to carry and pass. By the 1860s, the oval ball became standard-not because of design genius, but because of biology. A pig’s bladder doesn’t inflate into a perfect sphere. And that accidental shape became the symbol of the sport.

So no, rugby isn’t named after the shape of the ball. It’s named after the town and the school where the rules were first broken.

Why Not Just Call It Football?

As rugby grew, other versions of football exploded in popularity. In 1869, Princeton and Rutgers played the first American football game based on rugby rules. By the 1880s, college football in the U.S. had evolved into something completely different-more blocking, less running, and way more helmets. Meanwhile, in England, association football (soccer) became the dominant version, and the Football Association banned carrying the ball entirely.

To avoid confusion, the sport played under the Rugby Football Union’s rules needed its own name. “Rugby” became the shorthand. In Australia and New Zealand, it was often called “rugby union” after another split in 1895, when northern English clubs broke away to form rugby league. But the name stayed the same. It was never about the rules. It was always about the place.

What About Other Countries?

In France, they call it “rugby à XV” (rugby with 15 players) and “rugby à VII” (rugby with 7 players). In Japan, it’s ラグビー (ragubī). In South Africa, it’s just “rugby”-and it’s practically a religion. No matter where you go, the name doesn’t change. It’s a direct link back to that small English town where a boy picked up a ball and ran.

Even today, Rugby School still plays a version of the original game every year. It’s called “Old Rugbeian” and follows 1840s rules. No helmets. No padding. Just 15 boys, a pigskin ball, and a field. The name hasn’t changed. The spirit hasn’t changed. And the origin? Still rooted in that one moment, in that one school, in that one town.

Why It Matters Today

Knowing why rugby is called rugby isn’t just trivia. It explains why the sport feels different from others. It’s not just about strength or speed. It’s about tradition. About rebellion. About a kid who thought the rules were wrong-and changed them.

That’s why rugby still has that raw, physical edge. That’s why players still shout “Rugby!” after a try, not “Touchdown!” or “Goal!” It’s not a copy of another sport. It’s the original version of football that dared to run with the ball. And it still carries the name of the place where it all began.

How the Name Spread Around the World

The British Empire helped spread rugby far beyond England. Soldiers, teachers, and sailors carried the game to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji, and even Japan. In each place, the name stayed the same. No translation. No local version. Just “rugby.”

Even in countries where soccer dominates, rugby is still called rugby. In the United States, where American football is king, the original version is still known as “rugby” to avoid confusion. You won’t hear anyone call it “American rugby.” It’s just rugby. Because the name doesn’t need fixing. It’s already perfect.

Common Misconceptions

Many people think rugby got its name because of the rubber used in early balls. That’s wrong. Rubber wasn’t used in balls until the 1870s, and even then, it was for inflation, not shape. The ball’s oval shape came from pig bladders, not rubber.

Others believe the name comes from a person named Rugby. But there was no famous rugby. The town’s name comes from the Old English word “hrycg,” meaning “ridge” or “back,” likely referring to the hilly land around the town. So the sport is named after a place named after a hill. Not a person. Not a material. Just geography.

What’s in a Name?

Names stick when they’re simple. When they’re tied to a story. When they’re true. Rugby is one of the few sports whose name still points directly to its birthplace. You don’t need to know the rules to understand why it’s called rugby. You just need to know where it started.

So next time you watch a match, remember: it’s not about the tackles, the scrums, or the tries. It’s about a boy in 1823 who broke a rule-and a town that never forgot it.