The True Story Behind the Name Häagen-Dazs (It's Meaning Is Not What You'd Expect)

Häagen-Dazs. It sounds fancy, doesn’t it? The kind of name that makes you think of centuries-old European creameries, rolling Alpine hills. But brace yourself for the brain freeze: Häagen-Dazs isn’t European at all. It was born in the Bronx—complete with a totally made-up name and a marketing plan as rich as the ice cream itself.

Photo From: Häagen-Dazs

A Pint Above the Rest

From the start, Häagen-Dazs wasn’t your run-of-the-mill ice cream. No wooden spoons taped to the lid. No chalky “frozen dairy dessert” energy. Just pure, rich, ultra-creamy indulgence. When founders Reuben and Rose Mattus launched the brand in 1960, their goal was simple: make a premium ice cream that tasted like luxury. But to stand out, they needed a name that sounded as special as it tasted.

So… What Does “Häagen-Dazs” Mean?

Nothing. Literally nothing.

Reuben Mattus made it up. The name doesn’t exist in any language—Danish, German, or otherwise. He wanted something that looked and sounded European, something that signaled “this is the good stuff.” The result? A word with extra vowels and a flashy umlaut that gave off major continental vibes.

Mattus said he was inspired by Denmark when choosing the name—specifically, the country’s efforts to protect its Jewish citizens during World War II. That gesture of compassion resonated deeply with him and Rose, who both came from Jewish immigrant families. So while the name itself is invented, the sentiment behind it was sincere.

Marketing Magic in a Pint

The faux-European name was a stroke of genius. It oozed sophistication and made people feel like they were buying something artisanally European (even though it was being churned out in New York). This clever use of “foreign branding” gave Häagen-Dazs an air of luxury that justified its higher price—and made it unforgettable.

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The combination of an elegant fake name and genuinely excellent ice cream worked like a charm. Häagen-Dazs became a national favorite and a freezer-aisle staple.

So the next time you dig into a pint, remember: you’re not tasting a bit of Denmark—you’re savoring a Bronx-born dream with a made-up name that fooled the world, one creamy scoop at a time.