You’ve been saying the iconic bra brand name Bendon wrong all your life

Bendon is one of the biggest names in lingerie in the world – but most people don’t pronounce it right.

The iconic New Zealand brand is best known for its huge range of bras featuring everything from top drawer essentials to the most lavish date night specials.

But most people pronounce the mark too quickly. Ben-d’n.

According to Kirstin Sweeney, the General Manager of Sales at the New Zealand-born brand, it’s called “bendable” because it’s made to bend to the body.

The Bendon Group was founded in 1947 and was mispronounced in several markets in the decades since.

Bendon has been operating since 1947 when it launched in New Zealand

Other big brands have been spouting common mispronunciations lately – with popular companies like adidas leaving many in shock.

It is pronounced ‘a-DEE-das’ with stress on the second syllable, not ‘AH-dee-das’, which is the common mispronunciation.

FASHION

Hermès is the most mispronounced fashion brand. The name of this brand can be difficult if you don’t speak the native language, but it is correctly pronounced ‘EHR-mez’.

Another French luxury fashion house, Louis Vuitton has been a real tongue twister for some and is correctly pronounced ‘lou-ee VWEE-tah-n’.

Versace is also one of the most mispronounced brand names. Founded by Gianni Versace in 1978, the epitome of Italian luxury is currently creatively led by his sister, Donatella.

The designer and businesswoman even called out mispronunciators in an iconic video, in which she cleared things up by saying, It’s not “ver-sah-chee,” it’s “Ver-sah-CHEH.”

Similarly, the sports brand Nike has sparked much debate over the pronunciation of its name, taken from the Greek goddess of victory.

The name is pronounced ‘ni-key’ and not ‘nyke’ as it is commonly known.

This became clear in June 2014 when Philip Knight, the chairman of the board of directors of Nike, received a letter asking them to circle whether Nike is pronounced ‘Nike’ or ‘Nikey’.

Ben Martin and Kendal Peters, who sent the letter, posted a photo of the returned sheet with the latter circled.

Another faux pas refers to French brand Givenchy as “ga-vin-chee.” If you want to master this pronunciation, you have to learn a slight French accent and say: ‘zhee-von-she’. A favorite of the Kardashians, Balmain is pronounced ‘bal-ma’ and Balenciaga has a soft ‘C’ – pronounced ‘bah-len-see-ah-gah’.

Also very confusing to some is Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot.

While it sounds like ‘hub-lot’ to us Brits, the correct way to pronounce the name is ‘oo-blow’.

The Italian brand Bulgari, known for its jewellery, watches and fragrances, is also known as ‘bul-gar-ree’, which is not correct. It should actually be pronounced “bul-guh-ree.”

BEAUTY

Beauty brands can also make some people gag.

The very popular American brand Glossier leaves people scratching their heads on how to say the name, with some pronouncing it: “Gloss-ee-ur.”

The correct way to pronounce it is actually “gloss-ee-yay.”

Many people are confused about how to pronounce L’Occitane, the name of the French beauty store.

If you’ve ever wondered how to pronounce the Provence-inspired brand, chances are you’re not alone. The correct way to pronounce it is ‘lox-EE-tahn’.

CeraVe has also proved thorny for some. The brand is known for its skincare products formulated to help restore the skin’s protective barrier.

FEMAIL reveals how to pronounce the names of these brands that have tripped Brits over the years

If you’re not sure how to say it, the correct pronunciation is “CER-ah-vee.”

FOOD AND DRINK

Nutella, which has long been Britain’s favorite hazelnut chocolate spread, is officially pronounced ‘new-tell-uh’ – not ‘nuh-tell-uh’ as ​​many British fans use.

This announcement made headlines in September 2015 when Italian manufacturer Ferrero made the revelation on the official Nutella website in the FAQ section.

The popular pilsner Stella Artois often fools people with its French name. While it’s common for people to pronounce the “S” at the end, the correct way to order this drink is “stel-ah ar-twa.”

Hoegaarden, producer of white beer from Belgium, is normally pronounced ‘ho-gar-den’ by Brits who order the drink. However, in the country where it is made, it is called “who-garden”.

CARS

Car brands can also be difficult to pronounce. German automaker Porsche is pronounced “por-sha,” not “porsh,” and South Korean car company Hyundai should be pronounced “hun-day,” not “hi-yun-dai.”

German Volkswagen is also a bit of a tongue twister. The ‘L’ is silent, so the word is pronounced ‘vo-ks var-gen’.