Diaper was originally the term used for an overall pattern of small repeated geometric shapes, and then a white cotton or linen fabric with such a pattern. So, the first babies’ diapers were made from diaper fabric, meaning fabric with a repetitive pattern. A “nap” is a hairy surface of cloth formed by short fibers; it was the preferred material to make “nappies”. The word “diaper” is used in America and most other countries that speak English, while “nappy” is used in England, New Zealand, and Australia.