SysML FAQ: Who created SysML and how did it get its name?

The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) was created by the SysML Partners, an informal association of Systems Engineering experts and software modeling tool experts that was organized by Cris Kobryn in 2003 to create a profile (dialect) of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) that could be used for Systems Engineering applications.

Since Kobryn had previously successfully led the UML 1.x and UML 2.0 language design teams, David Oliver and Sanford Friedenthal of INCOSE asked Kobryn to lead their joint effort to respond to the Object Management Group's UML for Systems Engineering RFP issued in March 2003. As Chair of the SysML Partners, Kobryn coined the language name "SysML" (short for "Systems Modeling Language"), designed the original SysML logo, and organized the SysML core language design team as an open source specification project.