IKEA names: The system behind the product names

KLUNKA, KLACK or KRITTER... What do these exotic IKEA names actually mean? You've probably wondered at one time or another what the Swedish company's product names are all about. We'll tell you what's behind the funny words and how the IKEA names come about.

A short Swedish course with the funny IKEA names

what sounds like made-up words to us is actually based on a sophisticated system. Because the IKEA names for products don't just come about by chance: most of the terms originate from the Scandinavian language area. And some terms just sound funny in German! Depending on the product group, the Swede uses different word names. For example, the IKEA names of beds and wardrobes are derived from Norwegian place names.

There is a system behind the IKEA names

dhe IKEA names sound like funny word creations to us - but the Swedish company's naming is based on a system. And once you've figured it out, it's actually quite logical! And you can even expand your geographical knowledge along the way. Here's an overview of how the often funny IKEA names come about:

Bookshelves, sofas and coffee tables=Swedish place names
Garden furniture=Swedish islands
Beds and wardrobes=Norwegian place names
Dining tables and chairs=Finnish place names
Carpets=Danish place names
Bathroom items=Scandinavian rivers, lakes and bays
Children's articles=animals and adjectives
Chairs and desks=male names
Fabrics and curtains=women's names
Bookshelf series=occupation

IKEA names with humour

Even though the origin of IKEA names is basically very easy to explain, some words sound very amusing to us in German. A smile is often unavoidable. Like LOCKIG*, for example: That's the name of the potty for children and it actually has nothing to do with a wild head of hair. "Lock" means "lid" in Swedish - which makes a lot more sense in this case!

Image source: ikea.com

And where does the name IKEA actually come from?

iKEA's company name is an acronym - an artificial word made up of the first letters of several words. The individual letters stand for:

IK=the name of IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad
E=his home farm Elmtaryd
A=his home village Agunnaryd

For those who want to know exactly, it's worth taking a look at the IKEA Dictionary. It lists a whole host of product names and explains the meaning of the IKEA names.

Imaginative names are also available in Limmaland

In Limmaland, we also like to come up with imaginative names for our new products. Sometimes it can be a bit funny: You may already know our KÖKSET for the DUKTIG play kitchen. When coming up with the name, we were naturally inspired by the Swedish word for "kitchen". DREIECKIG is the TRIANGLIG: this is how you can embellish your play kitchen in a trendy geometric design. With our DROPPAcloud realm to pimp your IKEA picture ledge. And the colourful raindrops conjure up a really cosy atmosphere in the children's room!