Kentucky Fried Chicken officially rebranded as KFC in 1991, a change that has since given rise to persistent myths about the reasoning behind it. The rebrand is significant because it shows how a simple corporate naming decision can spawn decades of misinformation that still circulates widely today, overshadowing the more mundane commercial motives behind the switch.

Among the most enduring myths is the false claim that the state of Kentucky trademarked its own name and demanded licensing fees from the company, forcing it to drop "Kentucky" from its branding. Another widespread urban legend holds that KFC bred genetically modified chickens with extra legs, meaning it could no longer legally call the product "chicken". Fox News notes both explanations are untrue, though the article does not fully detail the real reason cited for the 1991 change before the text cuts off.