Sneakerheads love making up nicknames. If they’re passionate about something, they’ll nickname it a million different ways, and think of even more ways to say it. This is one of the great things about the sneaker game: the slang. It’s unique, and you won’t find anything like it anywhere else.
However, like with all forms of dialect, there are a few downsides to this slang. In the sneaker dialect, it’s the nicknames some use to describe Air Jordans. There’s a plethora of names, both bad and good, but we picked out the three worst ones, and listed them in order. Let’s get right to it.
3. J-Bones
You might not hear this one as frequently as the other two on this list, as it’s an older term, but J-Bones takes the #3 spot. Another blessing from the state of Wisconsin (the term apparently originated in Milwaukee), you’ll be able to spot a Sconny from a mile away as soon as they utter this strange term
2. Tros
Apparently saying “retros” is too hard, so some feel the need to shorten it to “tros”. Another Midwest classic, and one that will hopefully die out sooner rather than later. Just add “ret” to the front of it, and you’ll be saying “retros”. See? That wasn’t too terribly hard.
1. Mikes
Did you really think any other term could take the #1 spot on this list? Although it seems to have originated in Chicago, “Mikes”, short for “Michael” (as in Michael Jordan, duh) is used far too frequently nowadays. Ask any sneaker store employee, and they’ll likely tell you that they hear it several times a day, usually in a question like “When do them new Mikes drop?” or the infamous “Ya’ll got them new Mikes?” It’s enough to make even the most battle-hardened sneakerhead cringe when used.
What Air Jordan slang terms do you find particularly obnoxious? Are you guilty of using any of the terms on this list? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, and, as always, be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the fire sneaker pictures you can handle.
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