We never called them anything but bubblers here in Massachusetts--a water fountain was what was in the park-tall and water sprayed from the top and filled a little pool like thing around it! All of our schools had the bubblers in the halls-they were kept very clean and I never remember anyone getting sick. When I said the word bubbler after we lived in Texas-nobody knew what I was talking about--they all called them water fountains---so it must be certain areas of the country call them water fountain, drinking fountain, bubblers------but now people are so germ conscious they are no longer popular--I remember how refreshing a cold drink of water from the bubbler tasted in the school halls! Helen