You’re in your car all the time, whether you’re commuting to work, running errands, dropping the kids off at school or heading out on a road trip. And while you’re out and about, you’re so bombarded with car brand names and symbols that they’re basically tattooed to your brain. But how often do you really think about where they came from? Chances are, it rarely crosses your mind.
Naturally, the connection is kind of obvious for certain companies, like Ford, which takes the last name of its founder. But others aren’t so cut and dry. Thanks to marketing gurus, there’s meaning in absolutely everything a brand puts out there, from its name to its company logo.
Well, consider us curious. We want to know how the most familiar car brands got their names and whether there’s a deeper meaning behind them. So we reached out to a branding expert for details. Spoiler: The origins are fascinating! Now that your interest is piqued, let’s get into some of the details.
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Jeep
According to Stellantis, the umbrella company under which Jeep falls, there are two theories on the origin of Jeep’s name, with one explanation being more plausible than the other.
The first—and most practical—origin story has to do with Ford’s response to the U.S. military’s request for a light reconnaissance vehicle. It called its version of the car a Model GP, which stands for “general purpose” (though it was also known as the Pygmy at the time). Some say the slurring of the letters GP evolved into the name Jeep.
The other, less-obvious theory is that the name came from the Popeye comic strip, which had a character named Eugene the Jeep. Stellantis says both of these are possible origins of the name Jeep, but it hasn’t confirmed either.
Mercedes
The name Mercedes historically has Spanish roots, meaning “merciful.” But that’s not why Daimler, the German automotive company that gave birth to this brand and went on to become Mercedes-Benz Group AG, went with the moniker.
It happened to be the name of early car dealer Emil Jellinek’s daughter. “Jellinek was heavily involved with Daimler’s marketing and design,” says Michele Baker-Cuthbert, a strategist and creative director at brand-strategy firm Baker Creative. “Her name became synonymous with luxury and performance.”
What’s interesting here is that the name Mercedes became a symbol of luxury because of the car’s notoriety for fine craftsmanship, not because the name Mercedes was tied to luxury before that.
Volkswagen
Here’s another international brand name for you: Volkswagen is German for “people’s car,” derived from the words volk (“people”) and wagen (“car”). Baker-Cuthbert explains that the idea for the name came about in the 1930s as the company was trying to create “an affordable vehicle for average citizens.”
Infamously started by the Nazis, the company suspended production of its “for the people” car with the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Manufacturing didn’t really get underway until 1945, under the control of the British Army.
Subaru
The origin of this car name is out of this world—literally. “It’s the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster, known in English as the Seven Sisters,” Baker-Cuthbert says. “The six stars in Subaru’s logo represent the six companies that merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company.”
Astronomically speaking, the Pleiades are about 100 million years old, which is pretty fresh by cosmic standards. This gives Subaru a nod to the future, freshness and innovation. And as the slogan says, “that’s what makes a Subaru a Subaru.”
BMW
The company states on its website that the acronym BMW represents Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. That translates (albeit roughly) to the Bavarian Engine Works Company. It makes sense: BMW got its start in the German state of Bavaria.
The name is also a nod to the fact that the brand originally made a wide range of engines. “The company originally made aircraft engines before moving into motorcycles and cars,” Baker-Cuthbert says.
Kia
Though Kia is a South Korea–based automotive manufacturing company, the word itself has origins in the Chinese language, according to the company website. “It’s derived from Ki, which means ‘to rise,’ and A refers to Asia,” Baker-Cuthbert says. “Together the meaning is ‘rising from Asia.'”
The name works because it pays homage to Kia’s roots while also exemplifying strength and a look toward the future.
Fiat
Similar to BMW, Fiat is an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino. “It means Italian Automobile Factory of Turin,” Baker-Cuthbert says.
According to the Stellantis website (the parent company of Fiat), the brand was founded on July 11, 1899, in Turin, Italy. Its first factory opened a year later with just 35 workers manufacturing 24 automobiles.
Hyundai
The name Hyundai dates back to 1947, when it started out as a construction company, not a car manufacturer. Hyundai is a Korean word that roughly translates to “modernity”—exactly what drivers want in a car. Even today, the company’s slogan is “New Thinking, New Possibilities,” a message to consumers that Hyundai is always looking ahead.
Cars named after their founders
Not all car brands weave history and future vision (or a favorite dealer’s daughter’s name) into their brands. Some draw inspiration from closer to home: their founders. These automotive titans made considerable contributions to the industry, earning them a lasting place in history.
- Oldsmobile: The company was founded by Ransom Eli Olds back in 1897. At the time, it was known as Olds Motor Vehicle Company, but it later adopted the name Olds Motor Werks before finally settling on Oldsmobile.
- Buick: Founded in 1899, the company gets its moniker from Dunbar Buick, the American inventor who built the company.
- Ford: Named after its founder, Henry Ford, this brand got its start in 1903 in Detroit.
- Chevrolet: The company’s namesake is co-founder Louis Chevrolet, who partnered with businessman William C. Durant to create the company in 1911 in Detroit.
- Ferrari: This Italian car company was founded in 1939 by race car driver Enzo Ferrari, who left carmaker Alfa Romeo to build his own brand, now synonymous with speed.
- Honda: Established in Hamamatsu, Japan, in 1948, the company takes its name from founder Soichiro Honda. Its first U.S. outpost was a storefront in Los Angeles, which opened in 1959.
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Sources:
- Michele Baker-Cuthbert, strategist and creative director at Baker Creative; interviewed, October 2025
- Stellantis: “Jeep History”
- Volkswagen: “History”
- BMW: “The BMW name and its history”
- Kia: “FAQ History”
- Stellantis: “Fiat’s history”
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