Image via Complex Original
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We spend a lot of time scressing over the design of a sneaker. Is it the right colors for the alphet? Is the toebox shaped the way it's supposed to be (or is it from that crappy other factory)? Are the materials "quality"? Or are they the same rat skin leather from the previous eight drops?
As much thought and consideration that goes into the creation and design of each new shoe, so too must the creative team pick a name. The name is arguably more impactful than the shoe. If trends change and the midsole needs to be shaved down a touch, it can be done. If the stitching has to go hyperfuse, it can happen. If the whole internal mechanism of the sneaker, from the sockliner, to the layers of cushioning, to how the elastic holds down the tongue, needs to be switched up, so be it. But the names almost never change once they're chosen. That's why the creative teams reach far and wide for inspiration to find names that will support the ideology and inspiration behind the shoe itself.
Sometimes that results in some really weird names, we've broken down a few of them so you can find out where they're from (and settle a debate about pronunciation).
2.Nike Mowabb
In 1991 a hilariously titled article by the Associated Press was published about potential local unhappiness over a Nike shoe that misspelled its namesake. Moab is a well known mecca of adventuring and outdoor sports in Utah. Officially, Nike admitted that the town was the name sake of their upcoming shoe, described as, “sort of a high-tech moccasin” by Mel Murphy, Nike’s advertising coordinator for outdoor sports at the time. But according to Product-line manager Craig Duerr, they stated that the spelling change was to give the shoe a “lighter feel and attitude.” We’re betting it was to clarify pronunciation, unlike other shoes whose pronunciation is still hotly debated, like the Roshe Run.
3.Nike Roshe Run
When the designer of the Roshe, Dylan Raasch, was tasked with creating a NSW Running shoe at a $70 price point, he knew he’d have to keep it simple. And as a life long meditation practitioner, simple meant Zen to him. The term for a Zen master? Rōshi. Raasch said they had to change the spelling for legal reasons (likely because of the name of a character on the inexplicably popular show: Dragon Ball Z), but the pronunciation is still the same. So now you know the meaning AND how to say it.
4.Nike Huarache
Huarache is a Spanish word for “sandal,” but inhabits a particular point in Mexican history. The huarache, as opposed to just a pair of Rainbows or Jordan slips, was worn during the Pre-Columbian era (long before Europeans hit The New World). Originally they were made from leather with a thong, but eventually the soles were swapped out with rubber from old tires resulting in sandals that had a legit tread to them. For a while in the '70s, huaraches were used by barefoot running enthusiasts to approximate that feel. The Air Huarache is known for its foot hugging, stable, and uninvasive shape with a tread for more challenging terrain – like Mexican hills.
5.ASICS Kayano
“Kayano,” unlike “Gel Lyte” or “Saga” seems like a pretty mysterious name, but it’s one of the least mysterious sneaker names probably of all time. The designer was tasked with developing a new high performance shoe, and went through a grueling process of 30 sketches before being sent to the States to refine with the Product Marketing team. Eventually, during a late team dinner, the designer sketched a stag beetle inspired sneaker on a napkin. The designer’s name? Kayano-san. He had only been working at ASICS for 5 years when he sketched that shoe in 1992. As of 2012 he was still on the team, tinkering with his namesake shoe.
6.adidas Samoa
Back in 1977 when the adidas Samoa was originally released, American Samoa had long been an underdog story on the international soccer scene. They’ve only qualified or entered the World Cup for four of their entire 84-year history. In fact, in 2001 they participated in one of the losingest matches in FIFA history, scoring 0 goals against Australia’s 31. But, they’ve never quit. Although it’s unconfirmed that adidas named one of their most iconic sneakers after the heartstrong team, it’s unlikely they named them after Girl Scout cookies. After all, who wouldn’t want to be associated with a story like this one?
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8.Nike Talaria
Although it's likely the least known sneaker on this list, the namesake for the Nike Talaria shouldn’t be. Riffing off their own company name, a talaria is the ancient Greek name for the winged shoes of Hermes – the God of Messages – that allowed him to get around quickly. Though it was first mentioned in The Shield of Heracles, an epic Greek poem, the image of the winged shoes has been used most popularly by Jeremy Scott on his adidas collabs. But the name was utilized by the Talaria Boot first. The super dynamic trainer earns its name by allowing the wearer to dominate a myriad of different environments with very little weight and a whole lot of flexibility.
9.Nike Hachi
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Nike Hachi. But, we’re putting it on this list because the name is just so damn cool. Like the Roshe Run, the shoe takes its name from Japanese culture. The design of the Hachi grabs cues from the Nike Sting, and put it all in a chukka. So the designers decided to call it “Hachi,” the Japanese word for “bee.” Nathan VanHook, a senior footwear designer at Nike who is responsible for work like the LunarTerra Arktos and Solarsoft Moccasin Woven, says that they worked to tell the bee story on the shoe just a little bit more by adding a honeycomb toe bumper to the original design.
10.adidas
This isn't a specific shoe, but we've got to set the record straight. People love to say that “adidas” stands for “All Day I Dream About Soccer,” but the name, in fact, comes from the creator of the company: Adi Dassler (whose first name is Adolf). Adi’s brother, Rudolf, created his own rival sneaker company “Ruda,” after World War II. He made his own attempt at combining his first and last name into a company name, but obviously didn’t stick, and instead was changed to “Puma” – the word for cougar in a handful of languages.
What about some others?
Nike: the Greek Goddess of Victory.
New Balance: founder William Riley’s observation of chickens and their three-toed feet
ASICS: an acronym for the Latin phrase anima sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body). This is why you can't call one pair, or one shoe, an "ASIC." It's not plural.
Saucony: founded on the banks of Sacony Creek, Pennsylvania
PONY: an acronym for “Product of New York”
11.Nike Kaishi
The newest sneaker on this list, the Kaishi, is considered by some to be the successor to the Roshe Run. The simple design is nearly as Zen-like as the other runner, with a few extra panels for a little more sophistication. The sneaker takes its name from two Chinese Mandarin words smashed together. When "Kai shi" is spoken it means "To begin." Like the thousands of runners that hit the pavement every day, strapping on that pair of shoes is a beginning. A beginning of a work out, of focus, of health. Anyone can look at a sneaker and see it as a potential beginning, but it's the Kaishi that demands to be seen that way.