ðə fˈoʊk ˌɛɾɪmˈɑːlədʒi hˈoʊldz ðæt tʃˈɑːɹlɪmˌæɡni hæd nˈeɪmd ðə ɹˈiːdʒən æz ɐ ɹˈɛfɹəns tə ðə bˈɪblɪkəl kˈænɑːnˌaɪt vˈæli ʌv ɛndˈoːɹ ɔːɹ ˈændoːɹ wˌɛɹ ðə mˌɪdɪˈænaɪts hɐdbɪn dᵻfˈiːɾᵻd, ɐ nˈeɪm bᵻstˈoʊd baɪ hɪz ˈɛɹ ænd sˈʌn lˈuːi ðə pˈaɪəs ˈæftɚ dᵻfˈiːɾɪŋ ðə mˈʊɹz ɪnðə "wˈaɪld vˈælɪz ʌv hˈɛl".
The folk etymology holds that Charlemagne had named the region as a reference to the Biblical Canaanite valley of Endor or Andor (where the Midianites had been defeated), a name bestowed by his heir and son Louis the Pious after defeating the Moors in the "wild valleys of Hell".