Do you consider your pronunciation flawless, or do certain words and names leave you tongue-tied? A new study has pinpointed the top verbal stumbling blocks of 2025, revealing the words that have consistently tripped up newsreaders, politicians, and the public.
The Pronunciation Pitfalls of a Global Year
Linguistic experts from the language learning platform Babbel, in collaboration with the British Institute of Verbatim Reporters (BIVR), have compiled a definitive list. The BIVR, responsible for real-time TV captioning, provided crucial data on where broadcasters most frequently faltered. The list reflects a year of global news, viral trends, and scientific breakthroughs that entered everyday chat.
'2025 revealed names, brands and cultural touchpoints that have tested even the most confident speakers,' said Noël Wolf, a linguistic and cultural expert at Babbel. 'This year's list is marked by global news moments, viral songs and headline-making medical terminology. Each has slipped into daily conversation while bringing its own pronunciation puzzle.'
Names Making Headlines (and Headaches)
Topping the list is the surname of England and Arsenal football star Michelle Agyemang. The Euro 2025 standout, crowned Young Player of the Tournament, has a last name that translates from Ghanaian as 'saviour of a nation'. Many default to 'Ah-guy-mang', but the correct pronunciation is 'Ah-jeh-man'.
Even veteran Hollywood names cause confusion. While most say 'DEN-zul' for Denzel Washington, the actor himself uses 'Den-ZELLE'. He explained this unique pronunciation originated from his mother's need to distinguish between him and his father, who shared the same first name.
Meteorology also proved challenging. Storm Éowyn, the UK's first major storm of 2025 described as potentially the strongest in a decade, was often called 'air-wyn' on air. The Met Office's intended pronunciation is 'ah-OH-win'.
Brands, Places and Cultural Phenomena
The list extends far beyond personal names. The proposed Glyndŵr national park in north-east Wales is frequently mis-said as 'Glin-dower'. The correct Welsh pronunciation is 'glyn-DOOR'.
Global brands also feature. The Brazilian flip-flop favourite Havaianas is often anglicised to 'hav-EYE-anas', rather than the proper 'ah-vah-YAH-nas'. Even the world's most visited museum, Paris's Louvre, caused issues following a high-profile jewellery heist. Many over-enunciate the final 're', whereas it should sound almost like 'LOOV' with a very soft ending.
Medical advances entered the lexicon, with weight-loss drug Mounjaro commonly mispronounced. The correct stress is on the second two syllables: 'mown-JAHR-OH' ('mown' as in 'mountain').
From viral food trends like the Dubai pistachio chocolate Knafeh ('cah-NEFF-eh') to cult toys like Labubu ('luh-BOO-boo') and Lily Allen's track Nonmonogamummy ('non-muh-NOG-uh-mum-ee'), the list is remarkably diverse.
Mr Wolf noted that many mispronunciations arise from words originating outside English, reflecting the UK's interconnected cultural landscape. 'Approaching these unfamiliar words with curiosity and confidence makes a real difference,' he added. 'Much like learning a new language, getting pronunciation right deepens communication and strengthens our connection to cultures behind the words.'
