Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan has turned quarterly earnings calls into an unlikely vocabulary contest. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, Moynihan regularly works rare, old-fashioned words into his prepared remarks, catching Wall Street analysts off guard. Only a small circle of Bank of America staff are aware of the game, and insiders say someone picks an obscure word at the last minute for the CEO to weave into his script.
How the Game Works
Moynihan has used terms like “gainsay” (to dispute something), “concomitant” (accompanying), and “fantods” (nervousness) during calls, often working at least one unusual word into each session. Staff reportedly try to spot which term was the day’s pick, and a Bank of America spokesperson jokingly described the CEO’s approach as intellectually playful.
When the Words Cause Confusion
The habit doesn’t always go smoothly. During a July call, Moynihan described the Iran conflict using a word meaning winding or complex, and transcription services couldn’t agree on what he’d actually said—producing at least three different renderings across major outlets. Wells Fargo analyst Mike Mayo called the tendency an “intellectual flex,” contrasting Moynihan’s style with JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon, whom he described as easier to follow.
Moynihan, a Brown University history graduate and Notre Dame-trained lawyer, joined Bank of America in 2004 and became CEO in 2010. He now leads a bank valued at roughly $443 billion.