The confusion stems from the studio's origin story and the linguistic journey the word "Ghibli" has taken. Initially, "Ghibli" (ギブリ) comes from an Italian word pronounced with a hard "G" (as in "gift"). This Italian word means a hot wind from the Sahara Desert, symbolic of the studio's intent to introduce fresh, new winds into the animation industry. Miyazaki, who has a profound fascination with aviation, specifically named the studio after the Italian Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli aircraft. This historical aircraft also carried the Italian pronunciation, solidifying the hard "G" sound.