The IKEA Naming System
I’ve always wondered what was the logic behind the name of some items at IKEA. They always have Scandinavian names but what do they mean? According to Wikipedia it turns out there is a format IKEA follows. Firstly most of the names are usually either Swedish, Danish, Finnish or Norwegian in origin. Secondly most of the names are based on a special naming system which IKEA has put in place and is as follows:
Upholstered furniture, coffee tables, rattan furniture, bookshelves, media storage, doorknobs: Swedish placenames
Beds, wardrobes, hall furniture: Norwegian place names
Dining tables and chairs: Finnish place names
Bookcase ranges: Occupations
Bathroom articles: Scandinavian lakes, rivers and bays
Kitchens: grammatical terms, sometimes also other names
Chairs, desks: men’s names
Materials, curtains: women’s names
Garden furniture: Swedish islands
Carpets: Danish place names
Lighting: terms from music, chemistry, meteorology, measures, weights, seasons, months, days, boats, nautical terms
Bedlinen, bed covers, pillows/cushions: flowers, plants, precious stones; words related to sleep, comfort, and cuddling
Children’s items: mammals, birds, adjectives
Curtain accessories: mathematical and geometrical terms
Kitchen utensils: foreign words, spices, herbs, fish, mushrooms, fruits or berries, functional descriptions
Boxes, wall decoration, pictures and frames, clocks: colloquial expressions, also Swedish placenames
That’s very interesting, thanks Mark.
What the hell is that? You became very boring.
very interesting! i always wondered how they name them..
maybe they should use this system as a marketing tool.. these swedes are quite smart!
Wow you must be really bored dude.
i have always wondered to but never thought of asking or searching ..
amazing post ..!!!
Thats amazing i have always wondered what was up with those names!
Ikea’s actually translated to “overpriced crap that breaks”, but in ancient latin it means “stupid shit to build with useless guidelines”.
wow cool…thanks for sharing the info!
i think its cute
That is amazing – how on earth did you think to ask Wikipedia? Fascinating information.
Intlxpatr I didn’t, I found it on Digg.
now thats smart
WICKED
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Luke 11:9