Strongbow was launched in the United Kingdom by H.P. Bulmer in 1960. Bulmer named the cider after “one of England’s greatest knights” Richard de Clare, whose nickname "Strongbow" was believed to be derived from his heavy reliance on archers during his campaigns in Ireland. However, this theory is unlikely to be true because de Clare's father, Gilbert de Clare, was originally known as “Strongbow”, which suggests that Richard's nickname was actually inherited from his father. It was initially marketed as "the strong cider for men".