23 Brand Names You’ve Been Saying Wrong And Probably Never Knew

We all make mistakes, regardless of how simple or complicated the task is. And pronouncing brand names is no different. There are probably many brand names that you’ve been saying wrong and never even realized! Some of them could be because you’ve never heard of it, but others? It could be that you’ve been saying it wrong for as long as you can remember. Lucky for you, we’re changing that today. Today we’re diving into 23 brand names that are commonly mispronounced. Let’s see how many you’ve been mispronouncing and how challenging it will be to change it! Ready? Let’s go!

1. Porsche.

You’ve probably heard of Porsche. The German car manufacturer specializes in high-performance, luxury vehicles with an exceptionally high level of attention to detail. Most people pronounce it as “Por-sh,” but it’s actually supposed to be “Por-shuh.”.

2. Ikea.

Ikea is a massive Scandinavian retail chain that sells home decor, furniture, lighting, and basically anything your home needs. It’s commonly mispronounced as “eye-KEE-uh.” The correct pronunciation is “EE-Keh-yah,” with the “EE” sound being the same as in the word “feet.”.

3. Adobe.

Adobe is a massive computer software company. The common pronunciation is “a-DOB-ee,” whereas the proper way is “a-DO-bee.” The “o” in Adobe is pronounced the same as in the word “boat.”. 

4. Huawei.

Huawei is a Chinese tech company. Many pronounce it like “HOO-a-way,” but the correct way is “Hwah-way.” The “h” sound is pronounced the same as the “h” in the word “house.”.

5. Volkswagen.

Volkswagen is a German car manufacturer that makes fantastic automobiles driven all over the world. While most people pronounce “Volk-swa-gen,”  the correct way is “Fohks-vah-gen.” The “v” in Volkswagen is pronounced like the “f” in the word “farm.”.

6. Hermes.

Hermes is a fashion icon, making spectacular scarves, ties, belts, watches, jewelry, and more. Most people pronounce it as “Her-meez,” but the proper way is “AIR-mez.” The “H” sound is silent in Hermes.

7. Chipotle.

Chipotle is a Mexican Grill restaurant specializing in making mouthwatering tacos and delicious burritos right in front of the customer. The correct way to pronounce this restaurant is “chih-POHT-lay,” but it’s commonly mispronounced as “chip-O-tle.”.

8. Godiva.

Godiva is a Belgian chocolate maker that’s been making terrific chocolate for nearly 100 years. Most people pronounce it as “Go-DIV-uh,” but the proper way to pronounce it is “Go-DEE-vah.”.

9. Nutella.

If you love indulgent and creamy spreads, then Nutella might be just what you’re after. The popular velvety spread tastes of hazelnut and cocoa. The common way it’s pronounced is “new-TELL-uh.” The proper way to pronounce it though is “noo-tell-uh.”.

10. Adidas.

A mega-giant in athletic apparel and merchandise, Addidas is a brand that most people mispronounce. The correct way is “AH-dee-das.” However, it’s more commonly pronounced as “A-di-das.”

11. Balenciaga.

Balenciaga is a French-Spanish high-end fashion line. Its correct pronunciation is “Bah-len-see-ah-gah.” The more common way of saying it is “Bal-en-see-ah-gah.”.

12. Hyundai.

Hyundai is a South Korean automotive company. It’s pronounced “Hyun-dai,” but it’s more commonly pronounced “Hun-day.”

13. Christian Louboutin.

Christian Louboutin is famous for its’ red soles on luxury heels. The quality is supreme, and owning a pair of Louboutin’s is a luxury. Many people mispronounce the brand as “Chris-tian-Lou-bo-tan,” whereas the correct way is “Kris-tyah-loo-boo-tan.”.

14. Sega.

Sega is a Japanese video game company. It’s most commonly pronounced as “SEH-guh,” but the correct pronunciation is “SEE-guh.”.

15. Nike.

Nike is a major sportswear giant. From shoes, apparel, and sports accessories, Nike has everything. It’s commonly pronounced as “NIKE,” but the proper pronunciation is “NY-kee.”.

16. Hugo Boss.

Hugo Boss sells men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. The way it’s meant to be pronounced is “HOO-goh-BOHS,” with the first syllable of “HOO” being pronounced like the “o” in the word “hot.” More commonly, Hugo Boss is pronounced as “HUGH-oh-BOHS.”.

17. Lancome.

Lancome is a French beauty brand that specializes in perfume and cosmetics. The correct way to pronounce it is “lawn-KOHM,” but most people pronounce it as “lan-COME.” The “c” in Lancome is pronounced the same as the “K” in the word “kitten.”.

18. Panasonic.

The Japanese electronic company Panasonic is another brand name that is commonly mispronounced. The correct way to say it is “pan-uh-SON-ik,” with the second syllable of “uh” being pronounced like the “a” in the word “cat.” More commonly, Panasonic is pronounced as “pan-a-SON-ic.”

19. Xerox.

Xerox is an American company specializing in print and digital products. The common mispronunciation of the brand is “zer-ox.” The correct way to pronounce it is “ZEH-roks.”

20. Burberry.

Burberry is a luxury British fashion house that specializes in creating high-quality, timeless fashion. It’s commonly pronounced as “bur-BER-ee,” whereas the correct way to pronounce it is “bur-bur-ee.”.

21. Chanel.

The iconic French brand Chanel is another name that you’re probably saying wrong. It’s commonly pronounced as “chan-nel,” but the right way is “shuh-NEL.” The “ch” in Chanel is pronounced like “sh.”.

22. Gucci.

Gucci is a luxury brand that creates practical and high-quality apparel and accessories. Many people say it incorrectly as “goo-see,” but the correct way is “goo-chee.”.

23. Lacoste.

Lacoste is a French luxury brand specializing in high-quality sports apparel. You can find clothing, footwear, perfume, and watches. The correct pronunciation is “la-KAWST,” but it’s often pronounced as “la-KOST.”.

In the end.

It can be very hard to know the correct way to pronounce things, and sometimes what happens is that one generation pronounces it a certain way, and that carries it down to the next generation. Learning how to pronounce these words can save you some embarrassment of saying it wrong. There are several reasons that these brand names are often mispronounced, from unique spelling to lack of knowledge about the brand. Regardless of the reason, now you can refer back to this list of 23 brand names you never knew you were saying wrong and even share it with your friends and family who might be also saying it wrong!