Pajamas were not invented by a single individual but evolved over centuries from traditional leg garments worn in the Middle East and South Asia. The word "pajama" originates from the Hindi term "pae jama" or "pai jama," meaning "leg garment," and these loose trousers with a drawstring waist date back to at least the 13th century Ottoman Empire. They were commonly worn by men and women in India, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and surrounding regions

. Europeans, particularly the British during their colonial presence in India in the 18th and 19th centuries, adopted these comfortable garments. The British brought pajamas back to England, where they became known as "mogul's breeches" in the 17th century but only gained popularity as men's nightwear in the Victorian era around 1870

. The transition from traditional nightgowns to the pajama sets familiar today was facilitated by the invention of the sewing machine in the 19th century, allowing mass production and wider adoption in Western fashion

. In summary, pajamas originated as traditional legwear in South Asia and the Middle East and were introduced to the Western world through British colonial influence, evolving into modern sleepwear during the 19th century. There is no single inventor but rather a cultural and historical evolution of the garment.