Rudolf "Rudi" Dassler (26 March 1898 – 27 October 1974) was a German cobbler, inventor, member of the Nazi Party, businessman and founder of sportswear company Puma.
He was the older brother of Adidas founder, Adolf "Adi" Dassler. The brothers were partners in a shoe company Adolf started, "Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik" (German for 'Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory'). Rudolf joined in 1924. However, after a feud developed between them following World War II, the brothers went separate ways and started their respective companies in 1948.
Initially calling the new company "Ruda" (a portmanteau for Rudolf Dassler), it was soon changed to its present name of Puma. Puma is the Quechua word for cougar; from there, it went into German as well as other languages.
Source : Wikipedia
