The year 2025 delivered headlines that were not just hard to digest but surprisingly hard to say. From the name of New York's incoming mayor to a famous Parisian museum and a blockbuster drug, a common thread emerged: widespread pronunciation struggles. A new report from language experts at Babbel, in collaboration with The Captioning Group, which tracks on-air errors, has unveiled the official list of the most commonly mispronounced words and names of the year.
Political Figures and Global Icons Top the List
The political arena provided one of the biggest tongue-twisters. Zohran Mamdani, whose rise to become New York's mayor-elect captured national attention, found his last name consistently mangled. The most frequent error involved speakers swapping the "M" and "N" sounds. Babbel clarifies the correct pronunciation is zoh-RAHN mam-DAH-nee. Mamdani himself had to spell it out during a debate, emphasizing, "The name is Mamdani. M-A-M-D-A-N-I."
Another global icon, The Louvre museum, returned to news cycles after a major heist in October, bringing its pronunciation back into focus. Many English speakers stumble on the softened French ending. The correct way to say it, according to linguists, is LOOV-ruh, not 'LOOV' or 'LOO-ver'.
Medical Terms and Legal Dramas Cause Confusion
The healthcare sector contributed significantly to the list. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, became a topic of public debate regarding its safety during pregnancy. However, discussing it proved difficult, with even former President Donald Trump faltering over the word during a media briefing. The proper pronunciation is uh-SEE-tuh-MIH-nuh-fen.
Similarly, the diabetes and obesity medication Mounjaro saw a surge in demand and an equal surge in pronunciation errors. News presenters across networks were tripped up by its three-beat pattern. It should be said as mown-JAHR-oh.
From the world of true crime, the name of South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, back in the news due to a streaming series, continued to be widely mispronounced. Despite extensive coverage, many get it wrong. The correct version is AL-ick MUR-dock, a fact highlighted by the Associated Press.
Surprises from Storms and Stars
Even weather systems made the list. Storm Éowyn, which hit Ireland and the UK in January, brought a name from literary inspiration into meteorological reports. The Associated Press confirmed the pronunciation as ay-OH-win.
In a lighter reveal, Hollywood legend Denzel Washington provided one of the year's most unexpected pronunciation corrections. During an appearance on the Graham Norton Show, the actor shared that his first name was originally pronounced DEN-zul in his family, before his mother later shifted it to the now-familiar Den-ZELLE.
Captioners and linguists compile this annual list by noting words that are repeatedly stumbled over, are difficult to spell, or are newly emerging into common parlance. The 2025 list underscores how globalized news, complex medical advancements, and diverse names continue to shape and challenge everyday speech, proving that keeping up with the news often means learning how to say it first.
