"Sunny" name chosen from among 8.48 million entries

A major naming campaign was initiated for the launch of the Sunny. This was intended to stimulate interest among the Japanese public, which was eagerly awaiting the appearance of a passenger car designed expressly for the general public. Another objective was to give the new car a name that would have a strong appeal.
Newspapers published on January 1, 1966, featured an advertisement that announced the forthcoming launch of a 1,000cc car and invited readers to suggest a name for the new model. A teaser ad campaign followed, releasing details of the new car little by little, up until the deadline in February. This further excited the public’s interest.
A total of 8.48 million entries were received, with a total of 380,000 different names. From these, "Sunny" was chosen as it was deemed to match the image of the new model - bright, cheerful, and youthful. A similar naming campaign was later adopted for the first-generation March, when it also excited public anticipation for the new model launch.