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Names That Get Butchered

Do people know how to pronounce your name? Some people are not so lucky. And some brands have it really bad.

Names That Get Butchered

March 16, 2023 By Rebeca Arbona

Do people know how to pronounce your name? Some people are not so lucky. And some brands have it really bad.

Names That Get Butchered

Per the request of a LinkedIn friend, here’s our completely random list of brand names that get butchered to hell and back. Good times!!!

This video originally appeared in LinkedIn

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TRANSCRIPT:

Okay guys, this video is by special request from someone named Nanci Kaesemeyer. I think that’s how it’s pronounced which is very ironic because she said, “Can you do a video about brand names that are often mispronounced?”, and I don’t know how to pronounce her name. Anyway, I will hit my list, my completely unscientific list, of just names that I think it’s interesting that nobody knows how to say them.

But before I do, I want to talk about this because sometimes the reason that the pronunciation is difficult is because it’s coming from a foreign language, right? So, you know, there’s a reason for it. Sometimes that is part of the brand’s schtick, because it adds cachet or something or it gives it a sense of foreignness, and I think that’s interesting. And sometimes I think it’s just kind of unfortunate.

So we’ll go through my list: I need notes for this one. In no particular order, the first one is a sneaker brand called Saucony, or is it “sauck-iny”? I think it’s “sock-iny”, but I don’t really know. So that’s a mispronounced brand. Next one, I did a whole video on this one, “sore la tab-lah”. Well, if you’re full out speaking French it’s Sur La Table, but how pretentious is it to say that in the middle of an English sentence? Which is a whole other thing about mispronounced names.

Again, the next one, which I’ve also covered in previous communications, is Glossier, which some of us, like fools, think it’s “gloss-ier”, right? So in that case, it’s definitely kind of part of their feeling of inside knowledge. Another one is- there’s this Greek yogurt brand, F-A-G-E. How do you pronounce that? “Fag-uh”? “Fay-guh?” No, it’s “fa-yay”. That’s rough. And this- the one after this is also a Greek yogurt brand, and it’s O-I-K-O-S. “Ooh-kos”? “Oye-kos?” I’m not really sure. So, anyway, I think in both cases, it’s Greek yogurt that you’re buying much more than the brand name. People aren’t really that focused on the brand names in that category. I think? Maybe? I don’t know, Chobani? I don’t know. It’s a category full of difficult names.

All right, next. Facial cleanser, facial care brand, “set-afil”? Cetaphil? That one’s a problem. Okay, and then my husband’s favorite sauce, “s-riracha”? Actually, it’s pronounced “si-racha”. That’s another one that’s from a foreign language, but that’s not really a brand name, is it? I don’t know. Okay, next, Ikea. Apparently, it’s “ick-iya”, but in the United States we all say it wrong. Oh well! Okay, next on my list, L’occitane? “Locks-itan”? “Los-itan”? Like, “locks-itane”? People don’t know, and I speak French and I’m not sure I know. So, okay. A lot of the designers in foreign languages, like, Hermès, “her-mees”? “Hurms”?

I’ve heard that one really, really butchered. Um, chocolate brand Ferrero Rocher, which some people say “farare-y row-chy”? It’s pretty bad. And, um… Oh, the last one! I don’t even know if I want to do it. It’s Hervé Léger, which some people pronounce “Harvey Lager”? That hurts me. Okay, anyway! So, a couple of unscientific, just for giggles and giggles? I didn’t curse that time. Just some fun with some mangled and mispronounced brand names. Share any good ones that you have that should’ve been on my list. Thanks Nanci! Sorry if I mangled your name. Bye!

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Filed Under: Authentic Brands, Brand Story, Naming

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