How to pronounce the world’s most famous brands correctly
Consistency is vital to protect a brand’s image and the pronunciation of the name is often a constant battle, even for some of the world’s most famous brands.
When creating a new name for a brand, pronunciation is always part of the consideration and stress testing. We also recommend that brands share this with their staff and their customers. But many brands don’t or just assume that people should know.
Also, as brands scale beyond their home markets what seems obvious to one culture and language is often challenging or baffling to others.
With this in mind, we’ve created a guide to some of the world’s biggest and often mispronounced brand names. From luxury to everyday products, cosmetics to cars, French, German, Chinese or even English names, you may be surprised by how many you are mispronouncing!
The directory has been compiled from various sources, including representatives from the brands. In some cases there are still some acceptable variations of what’s right, especially when the original pronunciation is too hard or doesn’t make sense in English (for example BMW or Zara).
This directory will never be finished. If want to challenge any of the pronunciations, or add a brand to the directory, please contact us. We’d love to hear from you and would be happy to update the directory.
Brand names and their pronunciation (A-Z)
| Brand | Correct pronunciation | Common mispronunciations |
|---|---|---|
| 2XU | Two Times You | Two-Ex-You |
| Addidas | Adi-dass | Ah-dee-das |
| Adobe | Ah-doh-bee | Ad-dobe |
| Audi | Ow-dee (as in how) | Aw-dee (as in audio) |
| Balenciaga | Ba-len-cee-ah-ga | |
| Balmain | Bal-mah | Bal-main |
| Bebe | Bee bee | Beh beh or bay bay |
| BMW | B-M-W (English) or B-M-V (German) | |
| Burberry | Beh-beh-ry | |
| Cartier | Kahr-ti-ay | kahr-ti-her |
| Chanel | Shah-nel | Chan-elle |
| Chevrolet | Chev-ro-lay | Chev-ro-let |
| Chopard | Shop-arr | Sho-pard |
| Christian Dior | Kris-tyah dyohr | Chris-chun Dee-or |
| Christian Loubotin | Kris-tyah loo-boo-tan | |
| Cisco | Sis-Co | |
| Clinique | clee-neeque | Clin-eeek |
| Dolce & Gabbana | Dol-chey and gab-ana | |
| Ermenegildo Zegna | Er-men-a-geel-do zane-ya | |
| Estée Lauder | Est-ehhh Law-der | Est-ay Loud-er |
| Givenchy | Zhee-von-she | Gah-vin-chee |
| Godiva | Go-dee-vuh | Guh·dai·vuh or God-EYE-vuh |
| Gucci | Goo-chi | |
| Guerlain | Ger-lah | |
| Haier | High-er | Hair or hay-er |
| Hermès | Er-mes | Her-meez |
| Hoegaarden | Who-gar-den | ho-gar-den |
| Huawei | Whaw-way | |
| Hyundai | Hun-day | Hi-un-dye or He-un-day |
| Ikea | Ih-key-yah | Eye-key-ah |
| Intuit | In-choo-it | |
| Jägermeister | Ye-guh-mai-stuh | Yay-guh-mai-stuh |
| Jean Paul Gaultier | Zhon Paul go-tee-ay | Jeen Paul gol-tee-er |
| Kérastase | keh-ras-tass | |
| L’Occitane | Lok-see-tan | Lo-ocki-tayne |
| Lamborghini | Lambor-gee-nee | |
| Lancia | Lan-cha | |
| Louis Vuitton | Loo-EE Vwee-ton | |
| Mercedes-Benz | Mur-say-dees-bens (English) or mer-TSEY-dess-benz (German) | Mur-seedeez Bens |
| Miele | Meal-uh | Mee-ell or Mee-lay |
| Miu Miu | Mew-mew | Mee-oo mee-oo |
| Moët & Chandon | Mo’wett and Chan-don | Mo-ee |
| Moschino | Moss-key-no | Moss-chee-no |
| Nestlé | NEST-lay | Nessel or Ness-lee |
| Nike | Ny-key | Ny’k |
| Nivea | Nee-vea (German) or Niv-ia (English) | |
| Nvidia | En·vi·dee·uh | |
| Ocado | Uh-car-doh | Oh-car-doh |
| Peugeot | Per-zho | Per-zhot, Per-go, Pyu-zho |
| Polo ralph lauren | Pol-low Ralf Lor-in | |
| Porsche | Por-sha | Poor-sh or poor-shee |
| Qantas | Kwon-tus | |
| Renault | Ren-oh | Ren-olt or Ren-alt |
| Stella Artois | Stell-ah Ar-twa | Stell-ah Ar-twahs |
| Stüssy | Stoo-see | Sta-see or Stuss-see |
| Tag Heuer | Tag haw-yer | Tag hew-air |
| Toyota | Toy-o-ta | Toy-oda |
| Volswagen | Folks var-gn | Volks wag-en |
| Xiaomi | SHAU-mee | |
| Yves Saint Laurent | Eve San Lo-rah | |
| Zara | Tsah-dah (Spanish) or Zah-rah (English) |