The Most Famous Brand And Celebrity Names You’ve Been Pronouncing Wrong This Whole Time

The intricacies of language never fail to fascinate, showcasing how words can gradually adopt incorrect pronunciations through widespread usage. Enclosed within this list are brand names and celebrity appellations encountered almost daily, yet often subject to mispronunciation. 

Despite one's confidence in articulating "Adele" or "Nike" correctly, this compilation illuminates potential missteps. Rest assured, we're here to guide you toward the accurate pronunciation of these renowned names, affording you an advantage over others in linguistic precision.

1. Porsche

Pronounced Like: “PORSH-aa”
Net Worth/Brand Value: $16.2 billion* 

Porsche, a luxury car brand counting itself a competitor of Lamborghini, Acura, Lincoln, and Mercedes, might be synonymous with the rich and famous. But, that doesn’t mean that people pronounce its name correctly.

Many of us often pronounce "Porsche" as "PORSH," condensing it into a single syllable. However, the correct pronunciation consists of two syllables: "PORSH-aa." While adjusting this habit may take some time, enunciating it accurately will establish you as a genuine luxury car enthusiast.

2. Saoirse Ronan

Pronounced Like: “SUR-sha RO-nun” 
Net Worth/Brand Value: $9 million*

Little Women, Lady Bird, The Lovely Bones, Ammonite, Amazon Studios’ Foe, Hanna, and more are just some of the impressive movies on Irish-American actress Saoirse Ronan’s resume. When you look at all the vowels in her name, you might not know how to pronounce it.

“Say-OR-see?” “SOW-eer-see?” Though those are common mispronunciations, you actually say Saoirse’s first name like, “SUR-sha.” Irish names aren’t too easy to pronounce, so a lot of people get a pass for messing this one up.

3. Joaquin Phoenix

Pronounced Like: “wah-KEEN Fee-nux”
Net Worth/Brand Value: $80 million*

Joaquin Phoenix is a once-in-a-generation talent, and his movies have included hits like Joker, Napoleon, Gladiator, Beau Is Afraid, Her, and the upcoming project, Joker: Folie a Deux, which is sure to sell out AMC and Cinemark theaters everywhere when it comes out in 2024.

Have you been saying his first name correctly? While “Phoenix” is pretty much common knowledge, “Joaquin” is a bit tricker. You say it, “wah-KEEN,” pronouncing “Joa” and “quin” as two wildly different sounds.

4. Nike

Pronounced Like: “NIGH-key”
Net Worth/Brand Value: $31.3 billion*

Nike has become such a common brand that it’s hard to imagine someone not knowing how to pronounce it. But, just in case, you say Nike as “NIGH-key,” not “NIKE,” “NEE-kay,” or some other weird way to say it.

Nike is a name almost everyone knows, and perhaps you have some of its shoes or apparel in your closet. Recently, the brand was valued at over $31 billion, leaving its competitors, such as Adidas and Under Armour, in the dust.

5. Domhnall Gleeson

Pronounced Like: “DOH-null GLEE-sun”
Net Worth/Brand Value: $7 million*

Domhnall Gleeson is an Irish actor who has become more and more famous as time has gone on, thanks to relatively recent projects such as The Patient on Hulu, American Made, Peter Rabbit, and more.

As with a lot of Irish names, Domhnall is a bit tricky to pronounce, when you look at it at face value. You don’t pronounce the “m” in the actor’s name at all; how you say it is by pronouncing it, “DOH-null.” 

6. Hermes

Pronounced Like: “Air-MEZ” 
Net Worth/Brand Value: $218 billion*

A lot of us may feel tempted to pronounce Hermes “HER-mez” or “HER-meez,” but that would reveal that we are not connoisseurs of the luxury, Parisian brand, which has been around since the mid-1830s.

“Air-MEZ” is how you say Hermes, if you want to sound like a true French person. Hermes is one of the most expensive brands in the world, and their bags cost about as much as a down payment on a Ford 

Ford Motor Company

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or Chevy.