Yes.
Powder began being used in diapering a little over 100 years ago (about the 1890's) when J&J offered its Talcum powder to help prevent babies and children's skin irritation and rashes due to excessive moisture.
Back then there were no disposable diapers or baby wipes like we have now (toilet paper was invented in the 1850's but would not have been used much for babies as it was thick, harsh and scratchy against the skin, the first commercial disposable wet wipe wasn't available until 1957).
All babies would have been in cloth diapers and when used parents would clean them with a damp cloth, sponge or rag, it was believed (almost) correctly that it was simply the wetness of the skin that caused rashes and skin problems so J&J began marketing its baby powder made from talcum. The original idea was that after washing a baby and gently patting them dry (after a bath or diaper change) you would spread around and rub in a small amount of the powder to remove any remaining moisture before putting a diaper back on.
The amount used should be just enough to leave the baby's skin dry with no additional residue, if you see patches of loose powder or can blow hard on the area it is applied and see a cloud of dust you have used too much. This did help to some degree as persistant dampness can cause problems but we now understand that diaper rash is also caused by other factors like yeasts and bacteria developing on the skin and the buildup of amonia produced when urine is exposd to air.
The use of baby powder began to decline when people began to complain of medical and health issues after using it either by exposure to sensitive areas or by breathing in the dust when applying it (again due to incorrectly just sprinkling it over a baby and shaking the bottle so it puffs upwards, it should instead be poured lightly and closly into a hand and then rubbed in). Claims that talcum powder was carcinogenic and causing cancer began to spread, it has since been discovered that talc itself is not carcinogenic but in it's natural state can contain asbestos which is.
Alternative powders that used things like corn starch began to crop up but the declining use of powder was pushed further by the advent of disposable diapers more so as time went on and they became more sophisticated and better able to keep moisture away from the baby's skin. Using powder in a disposable (especially when used excessively) can clog up the specialty fabrics (like the ADL layer) used thus preventing them from working as intended, to quickly wick moisture away and keep it away from the skin.
Now I use cloth, both diapers and wipes so I'm happy using a powder to dry off after wiping myself down, but I see some people using disposables who prep the diaper by sprinkling it all over (which will do nothing but clog the diaper up) and then laying down and putting a thick layer of powder all over themsleves to the point that it looks like they were out sleeping in the snow.
If this is what makes them happy by all means carry on but not only is it preventing their disposable from wicking correctly it actually makes it more likely to cause a rash as that powder will soak up urine and clump up as a paste, sitting on the skin as a perfect breeding ground for bacteria as it rubs against and abrades the skin.
I know people will argue against this but this is the story of baby powder and the results of many medical and product studies carried out over the last 100 years.
