Plural of tom; male animals (especially cats), or casual slip-on shoes (also called Tom's shoes).
'Tom' as a generic male name goes back centuries—a 'tom cat' was simply a male cat, with 'tom' becoming the standard. The shoe brand TOMS became popular in modern times as a generic term for that shoe style.
The word 'tom' for males appears across many animals—tom turkeys, tom cats—showing how English speakers used common first names as generic labels, much like 'john' for a toilet or 'jack' for lifting devices.
Tom shoes brand was marketed with implicit gender assumptions about charity and motherhood (TOMS One for One campaign often featured women as givers/nurturers). The word 'tom' historically denotes male animals, but 'Toms' as a brand became associated with feminized emotional labor.
Use brand name neutrally when necessary; recognize that 'tom' male-designation doesn't apply universally to the brand's actual customer base or impact.
["slip-on shoes","casual footwear"]
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