PronunciationHub Data Study
The 60 Most Mispronounced Words in America (2026)
Ranked by how many people search Google every month for help saying them.
Every month, Americans type “how to pronounce…” into Google millions of times. We pulled the search volume for every word in our pronunciation guide and ranked them — the words at the top aren't the rarest, they're the ones that quietly trip up the most people, day after day. From a coffee order to a luxury handbag to a city you're about to fly to, here are the ones worth getting right.
| # | Word | Often said as | Actually | Monthly U.S. searchesfor help saying it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Açaí | “uh-SIGH” | ah-sah-EE | 33,100 |
| 2 | Gnocchi | “Guh-NO-chee” | NYAW-kee | 22,200 |
| 3 | Pho | “foh” | FUH | 18,100 |
| 4 | Quinoa | “kwin-OH-ah” | KEE-wah | 12,100 |
| 5 | Porsche | “POR-she” | POR-shuh | 12,100 |
| 6 | Oaxaca | “oh-AX-ah-kah” | wah-HAH-kah | 12,100 |
| 7 | Louvre | “LOO-ver” | LOO-vruh | 12,100 |
| 8 | Focaccia | “fo-KAY-sha” | fuh-KAH-chuh | 9,900 |
| 9 | Charcuterie | “shar-COO-ter-ee” | shar-kyoo-tuh-ree | 9,900 |
| 10 | Hyundai | “hy-un-DAY” | HUN-dye | 9,900 |
| 11 | Tzatziki | “tuh-ZAH-tsee-kee” | TSAHT-see-kee | 8,100 |
| 12 | Hermès | “her-MEES” | er-MEZ | 8,100 |
| 13 | Hermès | “her-MEES” | er-MEZ | 8,100 |
| 14 | Bruschetta | “broo-SHET-uh” | broo-SHET-uh | 6,600 |
| 15 | Cacio E Pepe | “KAY-see-oh ee PEP-per” | KAH-cho-ay-PEH-peh | 6,600 |
| 16 | Crêpe | “CREEP” | KRAYP | 6,600 |
| 17 | Loewe | “LOW-ee” | LO-eh | 6,600 |
| 18 | Edinburgh | “ED-in-burg” | ED-in-bruh | 6,600 |
| 19 | Crepes | “kreeps” | KRAYP | 6,600 |
| 20 | Croissant | “kruh-SAHNT” | kruh-SAHNT | 5,400 |
| 21 | Gyoza | “GUH-oh-zuh” | GYOH-suh | 5,400 |
| 22 | Pinot Noir | “PIN-oh-NWAHR” | PEE-noh-NWOR | 5,400 |
| 23 | Yves Saint Laurent | “yves-saint-law-rent” | eev-san-law-RAWN | 5,400 |
| 24 | Veuve Clicquot | “voov kluh-KO” | vuv klee-KOH | 5,400 |
| 25 | Edamame | “eh-DAH-mam” | eh-DAH-mah-may | 5,400 |
| 26 | Ciabatta | “see-uh-BAH-tuh” | chah-BAH-tuh | 4,400 |
| 27 | Prosciutto | “pruh-SKOO-toh” | proh-SHOO-toh | 4,400 |
| 28 | Tiramisu | “ti-ra-MIS-oo” | TEER-uh-MEE-soo | 4,400 |
| 29 | Chipotle | “chip-OT-el” | chi-POH-tlay | 4,400 |
| 30 | Sauvignon Blanc | “saw-vig-non blank” | soh-vin-YOHN BLAWN | 4,400 |
| 31 | Givenchy | “giv-EN-chee” | zhee-VAHN-shee | 4,400 |
| 32 | Reykjavik | “REYK-jav-ik” | RAY-kyuh-vik | 4,400 |
| 33 | Worcester | “wor-CHES-ter” | WUUS-ter | 4,400 |
| 34 | Versailles | “ver-SAILZ” | ver-SAYZ | 4,400 |
| 35 | Brioche | “BREE-och” | bree-OHSH | 4,400 |
| 36 | Tucson | “too-SOAN” | TOO-sahn | 4,400 |
| 37 | Audi | “AW-dee” | OW-dee | 3,600 |
| 38 | Des Moines | “dez MOYNZ” | dih-MOINZ | 3,600 |
| 39 | Coq Au Vin | “KOK oh VEEN” | KOK oh VAN | 2,900 |
| 40 | Cabernet Sauvignon | “CAB-er-net SOW-vin-yon” | KAB-er-nay SOH-vin-yon | 2,900 |
| 41 | Nutella | “NEW-tel-uh” | noo-TEL-uh | 2,900 |
| 42 | Phuket | “foo-KET” | poo-KET | 2,900 |
| 43 | Marseille | “MAR-sell” | mahr-SAY | 2,900 |
| 44 | Gochujang | “GO-choo-JUNG” | GO-choo-JAHNG | 2,900 |
| 45 | Cognac | “cog-NAK” | KON-yak | 2,900 |
| 46 | Ljubljana | “loo-BLAH-nah” | lyoo-BLYAH-nah | 2,900 |
| 47 | Jalapeño | “juh-LAY-pee-oh” | HAH-luh-PAY-nyoh | 2,900 |
| 48 | Phuket Thailand | “foo-KET” | puu-KET TIE-land | 2,900 |
| 49 | Tagliatelle | “tag-lee-uh-tell” | tal-yuh-TEL-ee | 2,400 |
| 50 | Foie Gras | “FOY GRASS” | FWAH GRAH | 2,400 |
| 51 | Baklava | “back-LAV-uh” | bah-KLAH-vuh | 2,400 |
| 52 | Viognier | “vee-OG-nee-er” | vee-ohn-YAY | 2,400 |
| 53 | Peugeot | “pew-gee-ot” | PUR-zhoh | 2,400 |
| 54 | Louis Vuitton | “LOO-iss vih-TON” | LOO-ee vih-TAHN | 2,400 |
| 55 | Gloucester | “GLOW-ches-ter” | GLOSS-ter | 2,400 |
| 56 | Arancini | “uh-RAN-see-nee” | AH-run-CHEE-nee | 2,400 |
| 57 | Ramen | “RAY-mun” | RAH-mun | 2,400 |
| 58 | Mochi | “MOE-kee” | MOH-chee | 2,400 |
| 59 | Bibimbap | “bih-bim-bap” | BEE-bim-bahp | 2,400 |
| 60 | Bulgogi | “BULL-go-gee” | BOOL-goh-gee | 2,400 |
How we ranked this
We took every entry in our food, wine, brand, place and landmark pronunciation guide and pulled its U.S. monthly search volume for the query “how to pronounce [word]” from Google's keyword-planner data (exact-match, United States). The more people search for help saying a word, the more reliably it trips people up — so search volume is our proxy for “most mispronounced.” Each word links to a page with native audio, IPA, and the specific sounds English speakers miss.
Search volume reflects demand for help, not a judgment about any “correct” regional pronunciation. Where a word has competing accepted pronunciations, we note that on its page.
Citing this study
Free to cite with a link. Suggested credit: “The 60 Most Mispronounced Words in America (2026)” — PronunciationHub (2026), pronunciationhub.com/study/most-mispronounced-words/.
Working on a related piece? We can pull custom pronunciation data for journalists on request — [email protected].