What company's title and logo comes from the name of the striped insignia worn on the sleeve of a military or police uniform.

The familiar V-shaped stripes seen on the sleeve of a sergeant’s uniform have a specific name: a chevron. This distinctive insignia, used for centuries in heraldry and military contexts to indicate rank or length of service, is the direct inspiration for both the name and logo of the global energy giant. The simple, powerful V-shape conveys a sense of structure, authority, and forward momentum, qualities the company wanted to associate with its brand.

The corporation’s journey to its current name began when it was known as Standard Oil of California, or Socal. In the 1930s, the company introduced a logo featuring three V-shaped bars to represent the quality of its three premier products. The symbol became so popular and synonymous with the brand that the company officially adopted Chevron as its corporate name in 1984, long after the logo had become a fixture at its service stations worldwide.

The word's own history goes back even further. The term comes from the Old French word for "rafter," as the V-shape mimics the appearance of two wooden beams meeting to support a roof. From architecture to military heraldry, the simple but powerful shape ultimately found a home as one of the world's most recognizable corporate symbols.