# Business names that sound completely fake **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354 "2007-10-28T18:19:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/21 "2007-10-29T00:56:54Z")
Akin to Pottery Barn, I think Dress Barn sounds fake. Dress? Barn? Just sounds weird. And “The Container Store.” Do we really need such a specialized store? Doesn’t it sell other things too? I don’t know, never been there. It’s a mystery. Houlihan’s cracks me up. Some friends and I were looking to get drinks one night, while rising the subway to Atlantic Center. It was raining and I didn’t want to go far. Me: “Isn’t there a Bennigan’s in Atlantic Center?” Friend (bitterly): “No, it’s a _Houlihan’s_. The _cut-rate_ Bennigan’s.” The way he said it was hilarious. And since then, Houlihan’s does seem like kind of a stupid name. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/22 "2007-10-29T01:05:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Anything beginning with “Acme”. Also, wasn’t there a Big Band/Jazz performer with the stage name Hobby Lobby, back in the 1940’s? [/QUOTE] Would you mean [Holly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Hobbie) [Hobbie](http://www.hollyhobbieclassic.com/HollyHobbieClassic/index.jsp)? ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/23 "2007-10-29T01:38:18Z")
[QUOTE=Millit the Frail] And “The Container Store.” Do we really need such a specialized store? Doesn’t it sell other things too? [/QUOTE] Not really- just a metric fuck ton of stuff to put other stuff in (or hang it from, or set it on). It’s a blast! I could drop lottery winnings in that damned store… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/24 "2007-10-29T01:48:25Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] That’s like the current trend of radio stations called Bob FM or Dave FM or Hank FM, or somesuch fake name. It’s a format licensed from the broadcasting conglomerate who created it. [/QUOTE] Not to mention the United Airlines offshoot, [Ted](http://www.flyted.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/25 "2007-10-29T01:53:04Z")
[QUOTE=severus] Flowers By Irene [/QUOTE] Yes, you’re right! I can picture it now. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/26 "2007-10-29T01:55:55Z")
Piggly Wiggly. Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/27 "2007-10-29T01:57:16Z")
[QUOTE=Millit the Frail] Me: “Isn’t there a Bennigan’s in Atlantic Center?” Friend (bitterly): “No, it’s a _Houlihan’s_. The _cut-rate_ Bennigan’s.” The way he said it was hilarious. And since then, Houlihan’s does seem like kind of a stupid name. [/QUOTE] 😕 I only ate at a Houlihan’s once but it struck me as a _less_ cut-rate Bennigan’s: the stuff seemed fresher, tastier, and classier selections, and the decor was definitely classier. And this was in Kissimmee, the home of lowest-common-denomator service. (To provide a point of reference, one time we went to the IHoP near Old Town Kissimmee because it was _better_ than the adjacent all you can eat Breakfast Buffet, where the servers messed up our drink orders (which was about their only job,) and the buffet choices were either completely bland or you could literally feel the salt crystals crunch in your mouth.) Then again, 1 point of experience of Houlihan’s v. Bennigan’s doesn’t speak for everyone. (Although both Bennigan’s and Chili’s are one step above Applebee’s.) ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/28 "2007-10-29T01:57:24Z")
We have ShopKo stores here. “Shop Co.” That’s like… Business, Inc. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/29 "2007-10-29T02:26:54Z")
I think the OP is about names that seem like they can’t be real, or can’t really mean anything–not names that are just silly or annoying. Puns are common, especially with coffee houses. But there’s a difference between that, and names which are virtually meaningless. Like: “Applied Technologies” “Integrated Solutions” “Cubic” “Consolidated Industries” Yes, they’re real companies, but they sound like they’re money-laundering fronts. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/30 "2007-10-29T02:46:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Speaking of law firms, I thought someone was playing a joke on me the first time I was told to reach the website of the esteemed Morrison & Foerster firm by navigating to [Mofo.com](http://Mofo.com). At least someone there, presumably in the IT department, has a great sense of humor. Their site was analyzed in an old webdesign book I had–they said they lawyers were proud of being mofos. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/31 "2007-10-29T02:46:21Z")
I’ve recently bought some stuff from an eBay store called [General Resource USA](http://stores.ebay.com/General-Resource-USA) What do they sell? > [@](#): > > General Resource Inc is based in NY and right now are selling Eposn(sic) Canon ink Cartridge in wholesale price. We just added our condom line for Beyond seven, Durex, Crown and LifeStyles. Please stop by and check it out That’s it. Inkjet printer cartridges and condoms. Funny story. I had my order delivered to my office (it wasn’t inkjet printer cartridges), but I got confused with paypal and put “office” in the contact name field - I thought it meant just a name for this contact. It was actually the name that appears on the shipping label. So you can see where this is going - last week I came back from lunch to discover my package, opened, sitting on my desk. The office manager had left a post-it note, “I think this is yours”, on it. I wondered why she had opened it until I read the shipping label. “Office”. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/32 "2007-10-29T02:52:47Z")
After the funeral of a relative of my wife, I had the pleasure of crossing the street to a fast food joint by the name of “Mejor aqui que al frente” (better off here than accross the street). ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/33 "2007-10-29T05:33:14Z")
Any company with the word “Fidelity” in the name. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/34 "2007-10-29T06:40:11Z")
There’s a sign in front of a warehouse in Edison, NJ, which says: One Step Up Cherry Stix Extra Touch It might easily be assumed that the sign refers to 3 separate companies, but there is a logo on the sign made up of an O, a C, and an E. Without googling, can you guess what the OCE people do? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/35 "2007-10-29T07:52:30Z")
I still don’t understand this, but there’s a store, in fact two or three stores, in downtown Madrid – and I have the photographs – named NO COMPRE AQUI, VENDEMOS MUY CARO (“Don’t shop here, our prices are really high”). ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/36 "2007-10-29T08:01:12Z")
When I was a kid in St. Louis (early '60s) there was a hamburger joint that had an enormous sign saying: **You can top our buns but you can’t beat our meat.** I never ate there so I have no idea whether it was possible to top their buns OR beat their meat. Testy ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/37 "2007-10-29T11:41:36Z")
In Mexico, there really are a few taco joints called “Taco Miendo”, which (phonetically) is slang for “He/she is eating”. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/38 "2007-10-29T11:53:13Z")
[QUOTE=Jamaika a jamaikaiaké] There’s a sign in front of a warehouse in Edison, NJ, which says: One Step Up Cherry Stix Extra Touch It might easily be assumed that the sign refers to 3 separate companies, but there is a logo on the sign made up of an O, a C, and an E. Without googling, can you guess what the OCE people do? [/QUOTE] Candy, condoms, or clothing. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/39 "2007-10-29T11:57:42Z")
Our local solicitor firm is called “Wright Hassall” 🙂 > **[About Us - Wright Hassall](https://www.wrighthassall.co.uk/about-us)** > > Legal advice with the individual touch. We are a law firm putting our clients at the very heart of everything we do. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354/40 "2007-10-29T12:21:18Z")
There’s an accounting firm in Orlando called Wilder Accounting, sure it may be someone’s name but I don’t want my accountant to be a wild and crazy guy! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/business-names-that-sound-completely-fake/424354.md?page=3)