Adidas: The founder of Adidas was a German named Adolf ("Adi") Dassler. He was soon joined in the shoe-making business by his brother Rudolph. When the brothers split up, Adi named the company after himself, using his shortened first name "Adi" and the first part of his last name "Das". Therefore the correct pronunciation of the company name is "AH-dee-DAHS", not "uh-DEE-duz". How do you usually pronounce Adidas?

Following the split from his brother, Rudolph Dass also continued on in the shoe making business. He moved across the river and kept making shoes under the name "Ruda". Like his brother, he took the first part of his first name "Ru", and the first part of his last name "Da", to make Ruda. Unlike his brother, this name didn't stick, and he soon changed the name of his company to Puma. Since the 1940s Puma and Adidas have had a bitter rivalry. Did you know this history between the two brands?

Much older than either Adidas or Puma, but lesser known, is the running shoe brand Saucony. Founded in 1898, it took its name from the Saucony Creek, which runs through the town where the shoe company originated, Kutztown, Pensylvania. The correct pronunciation of its name is "SOCK-uh-nee". If you didn't already know the correct pronunciation, would you have pronounced it that way?

Nike: Founded in 1964 in Beaverton, Oregon, as Blue Ribbon Sports. In the early 1970s the name changed to Nike. The name comes from the Greek goddess of victory. Since 1983, Nike has been making a running shoe model that also derives its name from Greek mythology. Without searching, do you know the name of Nike's stalwart daily trainer?

The answer to the last question is the Nike Pegasus, now in its 42nd iteration. Have you ever thought this much about running shoes?