What was the original name of the company that became Adidas?

The original name of the company that became Adidas was Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik.

Adolf “Adi” Dassler began making sports shoes in his family’s home in Herzogenaurach, Germany. His older brother, Rudolf, joined the business in 1924, and the partnership was registered under the German name Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, meaning “Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.”

The brothers developed specialized footwear for runners and footballers, including spiked track shoes. Their products gained international attention when athletes wore Dassler shoes at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, notably American sprinter Jesse Owens.

After World War II, tensions divided the brothers. Rudolf eventually founded Puma, while Adi established Adidas in 1949. “Adidas” combines Adi’s nickname with the first three letters of Dassler; it does not mean “All Day I Dream About Sports,” a popular but incorrect backronym.