Mispronunciations Highlighted in 2025: Mamdani and the Louvre Among Top Challenges

Fri Dec 05 2025 13:40:27 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A new report reveals the most mispronounced words and names in 2025, featuring New York's incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Louvre museum. The findings reflect a year of linguistic challenges influenced by cultural diversity in public discourse.

With the arrival of 2025, Americans struggled to pronounce names like Zohran Mamdani, New York City's first Muslim mayor, and the Louvre, France's premier museum, according to a new list by Babbel and The Captioning Group. Mamdani's name, often mispronounced in the media, reflects the broader challenges posed by names of non-native heritage. The Louvre itself faced similar challenges following a high-profile jewel heist, further complicating its name's pronunciation for English speakers. The report sheds light on evolving language use in public discussions.

DALLAS (AP) — A new report released by Babbel, in collaboration with The Captioning Group, highlights the top challenged pronunciations of 2025, with two significant entries being Zohran Mamdani, the recently elected mayor of New York City, and the Louvre, the world-renowned museum in Paris.

Mamdani, representing a landmark moment as the first Muslim and first African-born mayor of New York, has seen his name frequently mispronounced. The correct pronunciation is ‘zoh-RAHN mam-DAH-nee,’ yet it is often mistakenly pronounced by inverting parts of his last name. During a recent debate, he took the opportunity to clarify the correct pronunciation, stating: “The name is Mamdani. M-A-M-D-A-N-I.”

The report reflects a growing cultural diversity that often leaves public figures grappling with unfamiliar pronunciations, indicating that as society becomes more inclusive, these names and terms will continue to emerge in mainstream discourse.

Meanwhile, the Louvre has also found itself in the spotlight due to a highly publicized jewel heist, leading to many Americans mispronouncing its name. The correct way to say ‘Louvre’ is ‘LOOV-ruh,’ a pronunciation that can confuse English speakers due to its nuances.

Experts suggest that many mispronounced words originate from various languages, presenting unique challenges for speakers accustomed to a different phonetic backdrop. “A lot of these words come from different languages and so we have to adapt to a sound that we’ve never made before,” explains Esteban Touma, a linguistic and cultural expert.

Apart from Mamdani and the Louvre, other words making the list include ‘Acetaminophen,’ the active ingredient in Tylenol, and ‘Mounjaro,’ a diabetes medication that has gained recent prominence. The evolving language landscape indicates a continual adaptation to new cultural references as Americans navigate through diverse cultural dialogues.