What does AR stand for in AR-15?

The AR15 was originally developed by the manufacturer ArmaLite in the 1950’s. In the context of the AR-15 rifle, the “AR” stands for “ArmaLite Rifle” contrary to the misconception that the AR stands for “Assault Rifle” or “Automatic Rifle”. The term AR-15 has become a widely used and recognizable name for this style of firearm and is often used by various manufacturers and is not exclusive to ArmaLite.