Strange and Funny Names for Japanese Cars
Cars are usually named according to the functionalities, the design or the targeted market segment. However, have you ever come across names for cars, which are strange and funny?
Japanese are known for being innovative in automotive industry and so does their creativity in giving out strange names for their cars. The names for Japanese cars are normally formed using a fusion of both Japanese and English words.
For instance, the brand name itself is in Japanese but the range of product is in English, for example, Suzuki Swift.
I have listed several strange and funny names below and what they can possibly mean.
Car Make: Daihatsu
“Daihatsu” basically means “Osaka engine manufacturer” in Japanese.
Strange Names for Daihatsu car range:
- “Naked” – A car without clothing.
- “Applause” – A big clap for you when you buy this car.
- “Rocky” – Possibly named after “Rocky” the movie.
- “Town Cube” – A car in the form of a moving cube.
Car Make: Honda
“Honda” is the name of the founder of this company, “Soichiro Honda”.
Strange Names for Honda car range:
- “Joy Machine” – A very kinky car.
- “Acty Crawler” – A crawling car which looks like a spider.
- “Life Dunk” – A car telling you that life sucks?
- “That’s” – A car “that is…?” (still wondering).
Car Make: Mazda
“Mazda” derives from the name of God of Wisdom in the early civilization of the West Asia, “Ahura Mazda”.
Strange Names for Mazda car range:
- “Bongo” – A car which resembles a broad-horned antelope.
- “Bongo Friendee” – A car which resembles a friendly broad-horned antelope.
- “Scrum” – A car suitable for Rugby players.
Car Make: Toyota
“Toyota” basically means “the abundance of rice/wealth” in Japanese.
Strange Names for Toyota car range:
- “Stout” – A car which resembles “Teletubbies”.
- “Toyopet” – “Toyo” means “the abundance of” in Japanese. Most probably it means here “the abundance of pets” if you own this car.
- “Deliboy” – A car suitable for a boy who works in a deli?
Car Make: Nissan
“Nissan” derives from the company’s abbreviation used in the Tokyo stock market, which stands for “Nippon Sangyo”.
Strange Names for Nissan car range:
- “Prairie Joy” – A very kinky car on a prairie.
- “Big Thumb” – A car in the size of a big thumb.
- “Fairlady” – A car for “My Fairlady”.
Car Make: Mitsubishi
“Mitsubishi” means “three rhombus” or “three diamonds” in Japanese.
Strange names for Mitsubishi car range:
- “Guts” – A car with some guts to be a car.
- “Delica Space Gear” – A delicious car with space-ship equipment.
Car Make: Isuzu
“Isuzu” gets its name from the “Isuzu River” in Japan.
Strange names for Isuzu car range:
- “Mysterious Utility Wizard” – A mysterious car, a long lost cousin of Harry Potter.
- “Giga 20 Light Dump” – A car with 20 gigantic super-useless lights.
- “Mini Active Urban Sandal” – A car in the shape of an active mini sandal.

8 Comments
ha haa…tht’s funny…hard to believe these names exist.
does my car hv any unusual name? lantis? from atlantis? or could it have come from a reaaal funny origin? hmmmm wonder,blunder stevie wonder..
cool article
maybe someone ought to name cars by fruits. perhaps durian or mangosteen or lychee..sounds so cute
i like the name mysterious utility wizard. mini active sandal i dont like
acty crawler..never heard about that. Its a relief tht some of this names did not make it BIG
Stout as a car name seems very catchy but downgrading to some people but I think I like to call my car stout. It has a ‘zinggg’ to it. Ticklishly amusing and it would certainly be the best mode of transport to the pubs.Hehehehe
20 giga light dump. hahaha what an awful name