the company was officially established under the name "Sanrio". The company's European website says the name comes from the Spanish words san (holy) and río (river.)[10] The book korega Sanrio no himitsu desu (これがサンリオの秘密です?) or This is the Sanrio Company Secret gives another origin of the name.[11] According to this book, Tsuji, Sanrio's founder, said that Yamanashi (山梨?), part of the company's former name, has an alternative on'yomi reading of sanri. The remaining o was added from the ou (オウ?) sound people make when they are excited.[11