Naam mein kya rakha hai? How carmakers name their cars in India

Ever wondered how carmakers decide what to call a new model? It is not as random as it may look. From catchy hatchbacks to serious SUVs, every name goes through rounds of brainstorming, cultural checks, legal clearances and finally, approval from the top bosses. In India, where cars are more than just machines and often part of the family, the name matters a lot.

Why is the name important

A name is the first identity of a car. It sets the tone for how customers will remember it and what kind of personality the model projects. In a market like India, where people still use names like 'Scorpio' or 'Innova' more than the actual company badge, getting it right is critical.

Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Chief Commercial Officer Vivek Srivatsa told Moneycontrol that the starting point is always the product itself. "The process of naming a car starts with understanding the essence of the product, its positioning, personality, and the audience it is meant to connect with. We look for names that are simple, easy to recall, and that bring alive the attributes of the vehicle, be it youthful, tech-forward, rugged, and aspirational," he explained.

How the process works

According to industry experts, most carmakers follow a fairly standard process. Marketing and product teams draw up a long list of names, sometimes hundreds. In a country like India, names are tested against different languages to ensure they do not mean something odd in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu or Bengali. Then, the names are checked for trademark availability in India and abroad. The shortlisted names are sometimes tested with focus groups for recall and acceptance. Finally, the senior management takes the last call after considering creative, cultural and legal inputs.

Srivatsa gave an example with Tata's popular compact SUV, the Nexon. "For instance, the name 'Nexon' was derived from the idea of offering next-level design (coupe-inspired), technology, features, safety, and a car that was ready to conquer the future. As a process, a wide set of options is explored, tested for linguistic and cultural resonance, and evaluated against legal clearances. Through multiple rounds of internal discussions, the final name is chosen -- one that best represents the product's identity and builds a strong, lasting connect with customers," he said.

Indian context: Themes, trends and a public contest

In India, carmakers often go for names that are catchy, easy to pronounce and have a cultural or emotional link.

Do you know how Skoda Auto India came up with the name 'Kylaq'? The carmaker launched a public campaign inviting people to suggest names that start with 'K' and end with 'Q', in line with its SUV family. More than 2,00,000 entries came in, and the winning name 'Kylaq' was picked. It is derived from the Sanskrit word for 'crystal', inspired also by Kailash mountain. This not only gave the SUV a culturally rooted name but also created early buzz and public engagement before launch.

Other brands have taken different routes. Tata has models like Harrier, Safari and Punch. Mahindra has stuck with bold names such as Scorpio and Thar, along with its XUV alphanumeric series. Maruti prefers short, simple names like Swift, Baleno and Brezza. Hyundai has followed a theme for its SUVs -- Creta, Venue and Alcazar -- which are easy to say and globally consistent. Toyota's Innova and Fortuner, meanwhile, have become household names in India.

BMW's methodical way

Luxury players rarely take the localised route, as they generally prioritise global consistency. BMW, for example, has one of the most structured naming systems in the industry.

BMW Group India President and CEO Hardeep Singh Brar told Moneycontrol that the luxury brand has a long tradition of following a clear naming convention and puts a lot of hard work in creating a model name. "The fact that BMW has an internal department 'Strategic Naming and Vehicle Identification' for this demonstrates how much importance the company places on model names. A new model name is the result of an extensive process, the goal of which is to make the name understandable for customers across the globe. Future strategic developments are also taken into account when new names are created," he said.

Most BMWs follow a three-digit format. The first number indicates the segment, the next two hint at performance, and then a small letter at the end denotes drive tech. "The first number of the three-digit combination stands for the segment or model series. Even numbers are generally given to the ultra-sporty versions, such as coupes. Exceptions are SAVs, SACs and roadsters, which use X or Z. The two digits that come next today indicate performance in kilowatts or virtual displacement. The last part includes a lowercase letter that stands for the drive technology -- xDrive for AWD, sDrive for FWD or RWD," Brar explained.

BMW also has its electric 'i' sub-brand and its performance 'M' line. "M performance vehicles have the M prominently placed in their name, such as the M340i. High-performance models like the BMW M2 or X5 M are different in terms of nomenclature, with the focus entirely on the M badge," he added.

Striking the balance

Mass-market carmakers in India aim for names that are catchy, culturally safe and legally sound, an industry expert said, adding that the luxury brands keep to disciplined, globally consistent systems. Both approaches reflect different priorities -- local connect vs global clarity -- but the end goal is the same: a name that helps a model find and stick in customers' minds.