Brand Names You Probably Pronounce Incorrectly

Globalization has spread famous brands across borders. Today you might drive a car built in South Korea, wear a Swiss-made watch, drink Belgian-brewed beer, carry a French handbag, or use a smartphone from China. Yet the correct pronunciation of many company names hasn’t traveled as widely. Below are 24 well-known global brands people often mispronounce, with guidance on how to say each name correctly.

Adobe

Adobe is an American software company known for tools for printing, publishing and graphics. Pronounce it “ah-doh-bee,” making sure to say the final E. It is not pronounced “ah-dobe.”

Bayer

This 150-year-old German pharmaceutical company is widely known for aspirin. The correct German pronunciation is closer to “buy-er,” not “bare” or “bay-er.”

Dom Perignon

Dom Pérignon is a prestige vintage champagne named after a 17th-century Benedictine monk. Say it “dom peh-ree-nyon.” The G is not pronounced as a hard G, so avoid saying “per-ig-non.”

Dom Ruinart

Ruinart, the world’s oldest champagne house founded in 1729, takes its name from a family connected to Dom Perignon. Pronounce Dom Ruinart as “dom rwee-nar,” not “dom ruin-art.”

Ermenegildo Zegna

Ermenegildo Zegna is an Italian luxury menswear brand founded in 1910. In Italian it’s pronounced “er-men-i-jildo zeh-nya,” with the soft “gn” sound in Zegna similar to “nya.”

Hermes

The French luxury house Hermès began as a harness workshop in 1837. The H is silent in French, so pronounce the name “air-mez,” not “her-meez.”

Hoegaarden

This Belgian wheat beer is named after the town of Hoegaarden, where monks once brewed a spiced beer. The correct pronunciation is “who-gar-den,” not “ho-gar-den.”

Huawei

Huawei, founded in 1987, is a Chinese ICT company that makes phones, laptops and other devices. The common English mispronunciation “high-ah-way” is incorrect; say it as “wah-way.”

Hublot

The Swiss watchmaker Hublot takes its name from the French word for “porthole.” In French the H is silent, so pronounce it “oo-blow,” not “hub-lot” or “hoo-blo.”

Hyundai

Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea’s largest automaker founded in 1967, produces a wide range of vehicles including electric and hydrogen models. The common English mispronunciation “hi-un-dye” is incorrect; say “hun-day.”

IKEA

Founded in Sweden in 1943, IKEA is an acronym from the founder’s name and places associated with him. In Swedish it’s pronounced “ih-key-yah,” rather than the English “eye-key-ah.”

Miele

The German home appliance maker Miele was founded in 1899. Its name is pronounced “mee-luh,” not “mee-lee.”

Miu Miu

Miu Miu, a youthful Prada offshoot founded by Miuccia Prada, uses the founder’s nickname. Pronounce it “mew-mew,” not “mee-oo mee-oo.”

Moschino

The Italian fashion house Moschino was founded in 1983. In Italian the “sch” has a hard sound, so pronounce it “mos-key-no,” not “moh-shee-no.”

Nutella

Nutella, created by the Ferrero family after WWII by mixing hazelnuts with chocolate, places stress on the first syllable. Say “new-tell-uh,” not “nuh-TELL-uh.”

Porsche

The German sports-car maker Porsche is named for founder Ferdinand Porsche. The correct pronunciation includes the final syllable—say “por-shuh,” not just “porsh.”

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren is an American designer whose brand spans clothing, home goods and more. His name is pronounced “ralf lor-en,” with the emphasis on the middle syllable, rather than “ralf lor-EN.”

Renault

This French automaker, founded in 1898, pronounces its name “re-no.” The A and U together sound like O, and the final consonants are not fully enunciated.

Schwarzkopf

Schwarzkopf, the German hair-care brand founded in 1898, literally means “black head.” Pronounce it “shwarts-kawpf,” with the final sound closer to “pf” rather than a simple “f.”

Stella Artois

This Belgian pilsner was originally brewed as a Christmas ale called “Stella” (Latin for “star”). The correct pronunciation is “stell-ah ar-twa,” not “stell-ah ar-twahs.”

TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer, a Swiss watchmaker long associated with sports timing and racing, is pronounced “tag haw-yer.” Avoid the English approximation “tag hew-air.”

Volkswagen

The German car group Volkswagen began as a state-sponsored effort in 1937 to build an affordable “people’s car.” Pronounce the name “folks-va-gun,” not “vokes-wagon.”

Zara

The Spanish fast-fashion giant Zara, founded in Galicia in 1975, is pronounced more like “dzah-dah” or “saa-daa” in Spanish, rather than the English “za-ra.”

Adidas

Adidas, founded by Adolf “Adi” Dassler, combines the founder’s nickname with part of his surname. The German pronunciation is “ah-dee-dahs,” with the stress on the first syllable, not “ah-DEE-dus.”