The name of the first computer virus that spread in the wild is Elk Cloner, which was created in 1982 by a high school student. This virus infected Apple II computers via floppy disks, replicating itself and displaying a poem on every 50th boot. Elk Cloner marks a significant milestone in computer security history, highlighting the vulnerabilities in early digital systems. Its emergence led to greater awareness of malware and initiated the development of antivirus software to combat such threats, shaping modern cybersecurity practices.