Language-learning company Babbel partnered with closed-captioning firm The Captioning Group to compile words that challenged US speakers most frequently in 2025, according to Associated Press. The incoming mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, and Paris's renowned Louvre museum secured spots on the annual list released Thursday.
The catalog features terms that news broadcasters, political officials, and prominent individuals struggled to articulate correctly throughout the year, AP reported. The compilation provides insight into people and subjects that dominated American discourse in 2025.
Mamdani's surname was frequently distorted as the democratic socialist rose politically, according to the Associated Press. The 34-year-old will make history in January as the city's first Muslim mayor, first leader born in Africa, and first of South Asian descent. Babbel indicated the correct pronunciation is zoh-RAHN mam-DAH-nee, with speakers most commonly switching the "M" and "N" in his family name.
The mayor-elect previously stated that he accepts mispronunciations from those genuinely attempting accuracy but recognizes when others deliberately distort his name, AP reported. During one mayoral debate, he confronted former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over the pronunciation issue, declaring, "The name is Mamdani. M-A-M-D-A-N-I."
October's theft of France's royal jewels from the Louvre prompted widespread mispronunciation of the globe's most-visited museum, according to Associated Press. Babbel specifies the correct pronunciation as LOOV-ruh, featuring an extremely gentle "ruh" sound that can be difficult for English-speaking individuals.
Additional entries on the compilation include the following, AP reported: Acetaminophen, the primary component in Tylenol, is pronounced "uh-SEE-tuh-MIH-nuh-fen," according to Associated Press. President Donald Trump provided entertainment material when he stumbled over the term while urging expectant mothers to avoid the pain reliever despite inconclusive research regarding potential autism connections.
Alex Murdaugh, the distinguished South Carolina lawyer sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2021 fatal shootings of his spouse and son, should be pronounced AL-ick MUR-dock, AP reported. A Hulu series dramatized the case in 2025.
Mounjaro, articulated as mown-JAHR-OH, belongs to a category of diabetes and obesity medications that gained massive popularity due to weight reduction achieved by users receiving the injections, according to Associated Press.
Multiple terms on the US compilation, including Louvre and Mounjaro, also appeared on the UK list assembled by Babbel and the British Institute of Verbatim Reporters, an organization representing subtitling professionals, AP reported. Storm Éowyn, which struck Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in January, placed that designation on the UK roster. Babbel indicates the proper pronunciation as ay-OH-win, delivered in a three-beat rhythm.
Captioners document words that emerge repeatedly as challenging to pronounce, spell, or are newly developing throughout the year, according to Associated Press. Babbel linguists simultaneously monitor fresh pronunciation difficulties they observe.
An unexpected pronunciation revelation emerged when actor Denzel Washington informed late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel that he received his father's name and their given names actually sound like DEN-zul, AP reported. However, he noted that the arrangement created confusion, prompting his mother to adopt the pronunciation Den-ZELLE for her son's name.
