A chippy by any other name won't taste as good…

NOTHING more helps a young business to make its mark on the public consciousness than wit and humour in its choice of name. "Acme Cleaners" is never going to carve out a new customer base, while familiar names for pubs such as Red Lion, Royal Oak and Crown are surely best avoided for a new entrant.

Now a business directory firm has launched a competition to find the most unusual name for a company. Obvious runners are an opticians called Spex in the City, a chippy called A Salt and Battered, and a hairdresser named Curl Up and Dye.

The benefits of a witty name are manifold. They stand out in a crowded field, are more easily memorable and convey to the public a sense of creativity and imagination – qualities which consumers are constantly seeking.

Would a new Indian restaurant cut a dash by being called Taj Mahal? What flair can be found in a florist called the Flower Shop? Not all witty names, however, work with the public. Many are based on double entendres which younger shoppers may find acceptable but which may put off the older customer. But Paws & Claws is eminently suitable for a pet goods store, Little Goody New Shoes for a shoe retailer and the Daily Grind for a coffee bar.

What's in a name? A great deal, if you want to stand out with the public.