Adolf Dassler registered Adidas in Herzogenaurach, Germany, in 1949.
Adolf Dassler had previously worked with his brother Rudolf in a shoe business founded in the 1920s. Their partnership ended after a family and business dispute, and the brothers created separate companies in the same Bavarian town. Adolf registered Adidas on August 18, 1949.
The name Adidas combines Adolf Dassler’s nickname, Adi, with the first three letters of his surname. Rudolf later founded Puma. Adidas gained international attention when West Germany wore its boots at the 1954 FIFA World Cup. A common mix-up is confusing the two brother-founded brands: Adidas came from Adolf, while Puma came from Rudolf.