Mazda

Until recently I hadn't given a lot of thought to the origin of this Japanese automobile company's name. I only thought it was derived from the surname of the company's founder, 'Matsuda,' which is also relatively a common surname for Japanese, despite the fact that the company is generally referred to as Mazda, not Matsuda. Another origin of the name is actually Ahura Mazda, the name of God to Zoroastrians, which made a lot of sense to me: there is 'z'! ...Well, it might rather be the origin as to the founder's surname that is surprising to other people in the world.

Then I suppose they needed another proper origin of the motor company's name, wishing to be known all over the world, not just within its mother country as represented by the spelling of Matsuda, again, a Japanese surname. Certainly they originally wish to benefit from Ahura Mazda as well.

I got this desk calendar from an automobile dealer of Mazda. Only seven days left until new year.