Most car manufacturers in India choose foreign names for their products—often in Latin, Italian, or Greek. Majority of the Indian population does not know what the name means! Despite operating in India, the vehicle manufacturers rarely use names that reflect Indianism / Indian culture or connect with the local people. Consider few following examples:
Maruti Suzuki – Baleno
The word Baleno is of Italian origin and means “a flash of lightning” or “a sudden burst of light.”
Toyota – Etios
The word Etios is derived from the Greek language, meaning “spirit,” “character,” or “ideals.”
Hyundai – Verna
Verna comes from Latin and can mean “spirit,” “spring green,” or “youthful.”
MG – Astor
Astor originates from Old Occitan, where it refers to a “hawk” or “goshawk,” symbolizing hawk-like qualities.
Volkswagen – Virtus
Virtus is a Latin word that conveys ideas of “manliness” or “strength,” and also denotes “excellence,” “courage,” and “virtue.”
Tata – Harrier
Harrier means “to harass or attack.” It also refers to a “plunderer” or a “persistent attacker.”
Kia – Carens Clavis
Clavis comes from the Latin phrase Clavis Aurea, meaning “golden key.”
Mercedes – GLV-LWB
The name Mercedes is derived from the Spanish phrase Maria de las Mercedes, meaning “Mary of Mercies.” The brand name Mercedes-Benz was named by an Austrian businessman Emil Jellinek after his daughter, Mercedes Jellinek. Now what does GLV – LWB stand for?
- GLV stands for “General Logistics Vehicle”
- LWB stands for “Long Wheelbase”
The above is only a sample. I am naming few car manufacturers in India. Stating all is impossibility.
Except for vehicle brands such as Skoda and Force Motors, almost all vehicle manufacturers in India have named their vehicles using Latin, Italian, or Spanish names. Having invested huge amounts in their manufacturing units, how they expect the people of India to understand these foreign names beats my imagination.
Let me now talk about the meaning of Maruti Suzuki’s Baleno. Rather than using the Italian word Baleno, couldn’t they have named it Chamak or Bijli? Both are Hindustani words with Sanskrit roots.
Similarly, I believe names like Atma or Charitra would suit far better than the incomprehensible Greek word Etios! These car manufacturers seem to be Hindustani in name only—not Dil Se Hindustani.
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional. What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”.
Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
