The sentimental reason IKEA is called IKEA

All names have meaning – just look at all the thought and, at times, conflict surrounding baby names and their connotations – so it’s no wonder that brands strive for a calling card beyond the superficial.
United States fast food chain Wendy’s is named after founder Dave Thomas’ daughter Melinda Lou, who went by Wendy as a nickname. Gap refers to the generation gap, while Nike is named after the Ancient Greek goddess of victory – which is fitting, seeing as it appeals to athletes who are looking to secure first place.
Swedish budget furniture store IKEA is no different from the rest, but the brand name has less to do with the Swedish language than those who enjoy getting lost in the labyrinth-like stores may think.
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IKEA is actually an acronym, comprising of two things close to its founder’s heart.
Launched in 1943 when founder Ingvar Kamprad was proving to be more than a mere 17-year-old, the company’s innovative yet no-nonsense approach to furniture spurred from his life in Småland, where, according to IKEA, residents in the 1940s had to get by on small means, stretching their limited resources far.
“Why are beautiful products only made for a few buyers?” Kamprad is quoted as saying. “It must be possible to offer good design and function at low prices.”
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The first two letters of IKEA come from the initials of Ingvar Kamprad, and the last two come from Elmtaryd – the farm where he grew up – as well as a nearby village, Agunnaryd.
It’s no secret that IKEA fans are often amused by the furniture giant’s product names.
Take the DOMBÅS Wardrobe, for example. Reading it out loud when you’re trying to put it together may feel like the store is mocking your assembly skills, but it actually is the name of a village in Norway – and popular translations from Swedish to English suggest it means ‘courtroom’ or, more loosely, ‘lawyer.’
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Another could be the GROGGY Corkscrew, a stainless steel bottle opener – which is understood to actually mean ‘tipsy’ in both languages.
There actually is a specific naming system in place at IKEA, which came from Kamprad himself.
Having dyslexia, Kamprad found it difficult to remember item codes, so he implemented a simple way to identify each product.
Almost always, a specific Swedish word is chosen for the product based on its type. For example, Scandinavian islands are always the namesakes for outdoor furniture, and rugs are named after towns in Sweden or Denmark.
Beds are named based on locations in Norway, and bed and bath accessories are based on flowers and plants.
Meanwhile, fabrics and curtains are women’s names, whereas shelves are based on occupations or male names.
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