Grainlady, I've been known to shorten sneakers to sneaks from time to time.

Tennis shoes

When I was a kid, we called them "tenny shoes" (spelling?). Now I tend to say athletic shoes.

Tennis shies

Sneakers - PA and NJ

Grainlady - there's a line going right through PA. It's Pop in Western PA and soda in the east. My cousins in N Mex called all of it 'Pepper' as in 'Dr'.

Here's great map which designates what's the popular generic name for a soft drink.

http://s181.photobucket.com/user/xineann/media/sreviews/soda_map.jpg.html

When I visited Philly they were called Po Po's, white canvas ones. Here in Colorado, mine are running shoes. Tennis shoes are also a standard name.

Sneakers here in Delaware.

As a kid they were 'gym shoes' to me. Now they are 'sneakers' to DH and to me. (Lifelong Chicago suburbanites.)

In British novels, I see them called 'trainers'.

I guess I call them jogging shoes. To me tennis shoes are the thin canvas type.

Tennis shoes. I don't play tennis, but refer to my athletic type lace up shock absorbing sneakers as tennis shoes, and wear them to garden some of the time, most things I'm doing 'off road' like pick berries, often when on my SILs boat (their deck is white so no marking soles).

When I used to run, I may have called them running shoes. They are the same shoe, always Brooks, seems to be my best fit.

Tennis shoes

We call them runners or running shoes (Cdn. west coast) I have running shoes (actually trail runners) for running and gym shoes for the gym and if I played tennis then I would have tennis shoes and my son bikes and then he has biking shoes. I don't wear them for out and about, for that I wear real shoes.

Tiger by Asics. Wife likes the Gels by Asics.
My son and his wife are marathon runners and they call their athletic shoes "runners".

Sneakers and tennis shoes interchangeably.

A few years ago, as part of a neighborhood watch program, I and several others from my community went on a tour of our local jail, led by the sheriff departments community director.

He has lived here for almost 20 years but the second you here him speak, you know he isn't from him. He is from Brooklyn and still has a heavy accent.

In preparing us for the tour, he told us not to wear shoes as there would be a lot of walking; I was VERY confused for a minute, as I suspect others also must have been since he followed that up with, "you'll wanna wear sneakers."

Apparently "shoes" do not refer to sneakers!

I, and most of my friends, call them running shoes, even though some of us are not runners. PNW WA

Runners. Both on the prairies and in Ottawa.

runners.

I say "tennashoes." My Brit husband calls them "trainers."

My sneaker-styled ones are just referred to as shoes and the ones I hike with are trail runners.

When I was a kid back in Michigan, we called them "Keds". Since we lived near the high school tennis courts, lots of kids in the neighborhood played that sport. I haven't worn Keds in years. Except for members of the high school/jr, college track teams, nobody I know from back then, 1940-50ties, were runners or joggers.

Tennis shoes in Virginia. Haven't heard the word sneakers except maybe for kids.

I remember calling them sneaks as a kid. Also soda not pop. (In PA)

Back in the 1950s in southern Illinois high schools, canvas shoes with rubber soles suitable for playing on the gym floor were called 'tennis shoes'. At my school, street shoes were not allowed on the gym floor. Only bare, stocking feet, or tennis/deck shoes were permitted to preserve the floor finish. The same shoe was also known as 'sneakers'.

Ha! As I was scrolling down, I saw "gym shoes" before I saw Chisue's screenname, and thought, "Chicago!" That was one from the old survey. Also sneakers in New York and tennis shoes in California (sometimes "tennies"), or the West in general. I think also the South, but there was only one answer from there. I can't remember the locations of the rest. There were different terms from Toronto, England, South Africa and Australia. Among them were trainers, joggers, plimmies (for plimsolls, which I'd only ever come across in old detective novels), tackies (because they stick to the floor instead of slipping), and gummies (presumably referring to the rubber sole).

Sneakers - always. Well, sometimes there are "deck shoes", but to me they're not even close to what a sneaker is. So - here in MA, it's sneakers. Unless I'm truly behind the times.

I call them, collectively, gym shoes though I think I grew up calling them sneakers or tennis shoes.

I love all of the crazy colors we can choose from today. Adidas is my favorite brand.

I had a cat that I named Sneakers. He was all gray but for his four white paws.

Tennis shoes. I grew up in California and live in the South, so I have no idea why. I do love tennis, more than just plain running? so that may be it.

It's coke grainlady, duh! TOTALLY kidding with you ;) But, in the deep south, we do call it all coke though. I assume it's because Coca-cola's recipe is hidden deep within an Atlanta vault and we're partial to it. Even if if you're having Dr. Pepper, a Sprite, or any other soft drink

Interesting rob333, I've been in the south for forty years and have never heard all soft drinks being referred to as 'coke'.

I grew up calling it coke but I now call it soda like my husband does.

Here is an interesting website that shows the breakdown of soda vs pop vs coke.

What?! I can't believe that rhizo! Wow. Um, it was something I learned after moving here and I have heard it for 40+ years. I'm truly amazed.

south central PA - sneakers, sometimes sneaks. Also say pop. Also say ink pen, and am teased about it constantly. People mainly said "so you don't just want a pen, you want an INK pen? haha" I don't know why I say ink pen instead of just pen, but I do.

Also say gum band more often than rubber band. And tin foil instead of aluminum foil.

In CA, we call athletic shoes "athletic shoes." Sadly, that's about all my feet like these days.

Socks, there is so much research and technology in today's athletic shoes that it's no wonder your feet like them! It's almost impossible to find any that fit my foot (they have to deep and wide a heel box, so they either hurt like hell or fall off), so I don't wear them, but I probably would if I could. :)

Thanks for the interesting side conversations about soft drinks, et al. BTW, we say "soda" and sometimes "soda pop", but not "pop" by itself. :)

Rob, I've heard that before about calling all soft drinks "Coke", but isn't it confusing? If someone offered me a coke and gave me ginger ale, I'd be mightily taken aback! Or is it more of a generic noun, like "going out for coffee" could mean drinking water or Coke or tea. Like, "Would you like a Coke?" "Yes, please." "We have ginger ale, Orangina, 7Up and RC. Which would you prefer?"

plllog- that is exactly how we use the word.

This video is pretty amusing. I can't relate to all of it as the South is a big area but a large number of these apply.

Sneakers. I have vivid memories of pairs of them being tossed up on electrical wires.

I call my shoes, "nonexistent" other peoples I call either sneakers or tennis shoes.

Sue

Thanks, TG! I'll keep that in mind. Though my mind is going to bubbly sorority girl and chill guy: CG: What are you on? You're so hyper! BSG: I'm not on anything. This is just a Coke. CG: Are you kidding me? There's a ton of sugar and caffeine in Coke. No wonder you're bouncing off the walls. BSG: But it's a Diet 7Up! CG: You said you had a Coke!

Amusing video. I actually got most of the references. The ruined weekend thing was because Duke was the wrong school?

I believe so, though I don't follow sports at all, the South do love sports and are fanatical about their teams.

I also don't call it a buggy, or eat chicken n biscuits, or watch nascar, but we do have bonfires, sweet tea is iced, and we do get stereotyped frequently. :)

Kicks or sneakers.

Sneakers!

When I was little, we called them "tennies", short for tennis shoes, I guess. Now, I call them sneakers.

We call them runners around here

I grew up in Mass. and we called them sneakers. DH who grew up in Chicago called them gym shoes.

I called soft drinks soda, still do, and DH called it pop. Now all I ever order is Coke, so ask for that.

Running shoes, or runners here in Ontario.

Always COKE for all soda drinks and was born and raised in Alabama.

Tennis shoes for me!

Around here is has always been pop. If you order Coke that is what you would get, maybe you would want something else, Pepsi? I don't drink much pop, mostly water and iced tea, not the sweet kind you buy, way too sweet for me.

Sue in Central Indiana

Southern Ohio - we called them gym shoes. My mom was probably 60 (born in 1910) the first time she wore a pair of gym shoes. My dad called them "Jimmy Go Fasters". I have no idea why. :)

I dunno why either, but I love that! Jimmy Go Fasters. Classic.

Sneakers collectively. But kids calling them by brand goes back to my childhood. We had Keds or PFs my kids had Reeboks and Nikes.

I've always called them "tennis shoes". Now it's about all I wear so I just call them "Shoes".