Mispronounced Words Of 2025: Keeping up with 2025’s headlines came with an unexpected twist, many Americans found themselves stumbling over the very names dominating the news cycle. From New York’s mayor Zohran Mamdani to the Louvre, the year delivered a list of words that repeatedly tripped up anchors, public figures and viewers alike.
The list, compiled by language-learning platform Babbel and The Captioning Group, highlights the most commonly mispronounced names and terms recorded on air throughout 2025.
Zohran Mamdani
The newly elected New York mayor’s name became a national talking point and a linguistic challenge. According to Babbel, the correct pronunciation is zoh-RAHN mam-DAH-nee. The most frequent mistake: mixing up the “M” and “N.” As Mamdani clarified during one debate: “The name is Mamdani. M-A-M-D-A-N-I.”
Alex Murdaugh
The South Carolina attorney resurfaced in the spotlight after a streaming-series dramatization, reintroducing America to an old challenge. Babbel lists the correct pronunciation as AL-ick MUR-dock, a version viewers still commonly miss.
The Louvre
After the high-profile October crown-jewel heist, the Paris museum surged back into headlines- and so did widespread mispronunciations. Babbel notes the proper pronunciation: LOOV-ruh, with the softer ending sound posing trouble for English speakers.
Éowyn
Storm Éowyn, which swept across Ireland and parts of the UK in January, pushed this Tolkien-origin name back into public conversation. Babbel lists the correct pronunciation as ay-OH-win.
Acetaminophen
The debate over Tylenol’s safety during pregnancy brought this pharmaceutical term to the forefront. Even U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly stumbled over it during a media briefing. Babbel gives the correct form as uh-SEE-tuh-MIH-nuh-fen.
Mounjaro
Skyrocketing demand for the diabetes and weight-loss drug also brought confusion over its name. The proper pronunciation, Babbel notes, is mown-JAHR-oh, a rhythmic three-syllable pattern that presenters frequently misread.
Denzel Washington
One of the year’s most surprising entries came from the actor himself. In an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, he revealed that the original family pronunciation was DEN-zul, though it later evolved to Den-ZELLE due to his mother’s preference.
