An enduring question about Ford Mustang, even after nearly 50 years on the road, is the origin of its name. Does it honor the famed P-51 fighter plane of World War II? Or the wild horse of the American West?

Depends who you ask. The real question for Mustang fans: Does it even matter?

Is the world’s love affair with Mustang about the name? Or about a car that always has offered an appealing blend of style, performance and practicality?

If you ask most people today what they think of when they hear Mustang, chances are they’ll mention the car before the horse or the plane.

There long have been conflicting stories from the people who were there at the time, as well as many who weren’t, about how the name came about. As the car we know today as Mustang was developed in 1962 and 1963, a wide range of names were considered and used on the various design proposals, including Cougar, Torino, Allegro, Avventura and even Thunderbird II.