Judging by some of the names given by the Japanese motor industry to its vehicles over the years, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a succession of plausible but mischievous Brits had been over there assuring whoever they met that yes, Bongo Friendee really did make sense in English.

Even though Mazda’s quirky people carrier was never officially imported to the UK, most Brits will be familiar with the Bongo Friendee. Indeed, it’s a popular and useful machine despite – or perhaps because of – its name.

The fact is that many if not most of these crazy Japanese names actually make perfect sense.

Here’s one: the Nissan Gloria. Nowadays, Gloria may be the name of your auntie, but the reality is that gloria is Latin for glory, which is a lot less humdrum. For Nissan, the name is as historical as a hymn because it’s derived from a car called the Prince Gloria of the 1950s, when you needed to be well off to afford motorised transport in Japan. The Japanese Imperial Household sourced its motors from the Prince car company.

Admittedly, some of the other names are a bit less lyrical, but no less literal. In the Toyota van range you’ll find a Deliboy. It’s a delivery van. Isuzu makes a lightweight commercial called the GIGA 20 Light Dump. It’s a small dump truck. Mazda does a Titan Dump. That’s a bigger dump truck.

With a bit of effort you can even make a literal case for the Bongo Friendee. In a shopping mall, a bongo drum sort of serves the community, just as a lightweight van does. Throw some seats in, or a camp bed, and you’ve got a more communal Bongo, a Bongo for your mates, or friends as they used to be called. And there you have it: a Bongo Friendee. Easy.

One of the most legendary names – the Nissan Pantry Boy Supreme – sadly turns out to be exactly that, a legend. By rights it should be a lovely little Postman Pat-style light delivery van for producers of baked goods. Inconveniently, Nissan Europe staff have never heard of it. Nor have their Japanese counterparts.

Thing is though, are these these mad Japanese monickers any dafter than some currrent European car names? In an effort to tell us as much as possible about what we’re driving, Euro manufacturers have entangled themselves in a giant tureen of mad-name spaghetti.

Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI 105 BlueMotion Tech Match 5dr Hatchback, anyone? How about a Peugeot 208 1.6 BlueHDI 100 Roland Garros 5dr Non Start Stop? Or maybe a BMW 320i xDrive Sport 5dr Step Auto Business Media?

At least a Light Dump has the benefit of brevity.