The parent club was founded on July 1, 1904 as “Turn- und Spielverein der Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co. in Leverkusen”. Its football section was formed on June 1, 1907 and initially remained part of the works club commonly known as TuS 04.
Historical club names of Bayer Leverkusen
- 1904–1922TuS 04 LeverkusenOfficial name: Turn- und Spielverein der Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co. in Leverkusen
- 1923–1927FV 04 LeverkusenOfficial name: Fußballverein 04 Leverkusen
In 1923, the football section separated from TuS 04 under the German gymnastics movement's policy of separating gymnastics and sport. The newly founded FV 04 Leverkusen played in black and red.
- 1928–1934SpVgg Wiesdorf-LeverkusenOfficial name: Sportvereinigung Wiesdorf-Leverkusen 04
On January 8, 1928, the footballers joined boxers, field handball players, athletes and fistball players to form Sportvereinigung Wiesdorf-Leverkusen 04. It became Leverkusen's second major sports club alongside TuS 04.
- 1935–1937SV Bayer Leverkusen 04Official name: Sportvereinigung Bayer Leverkusen 04
At the end of 1935, the sports club was granted permission to include the Bayer company name. In May 1936, the team first wore the Bayer Cross on its shirts during the promotion play-offs.
- 1938–1941BSG I.G. Farben LeverkusenOfficial name: Betriebssportgemeinschaft der I.G. Farbenindustrie A.G. Leverkusen 1904
On December 14, 1938, the sports club was reorganised as a company sports association under the National Socialist restructuring of German clubs. According to the club chronicle, the brief wartime association with TuS 04 formed in April 1940 concerned handball and athletics, not the football name line.
- 1942–1947SV Bayer Leverkusen 04Official name: Sportvereinigung Bayer Leverkusen 04
On August 12, 1942, the company sports association returned to the name Sportvereinigung Bayer Leverkusen 04 while the war was still under way. Under this name, the football team entered the first post-war championship in the Cologne area in November 1945.
- 1948–1983Bayer 04 LeverkusenOfficial name: Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 Leverkusen
From December 1948, the club was named Sportvereinigung Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The short form “Bayer 04” had already been established from 1947 in the club bulletin and its standardised public identity.
- 1984–1998Bayer 04 LeverkusenOfficial name: TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen
On July 1, 1984, SV Bayer 04 Leverkusen and TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen reunited as one multi-sports club. The football section subsequently belonged to TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
- since 1999Bayer LeverkusenOfficial name: Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH
On April 1, 1999, the professional football department was spun off from TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH was founded. FODB uses Bayer Leverkusen as the concise display name.