# THINK before you name your product **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 24, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920 "2003-04-24T18:39:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mr\_Sherbet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@Mr\_Sherbet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Sherbet)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/41 "2003-04-25T09:45:54Z")
I’ll have a large fries, medium coke and a Chicken **McWrap** please. ---
**Author:** ![naim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85e7bf/32.png) [@naim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naim)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/42 "2003-04-25T10:03:29Z")
Ikea’s Gutvik Oh my, my inability to read properly made a mess of my 1st post to this board: It’s Gutvik, not Gudvik (darndarndarn!!!) Yes, there has been some mentioning of the name in the internet and an article in the german yellow press and yes, Ikea answered to this - so I doubted the veracity of the story to quick. What I read of it does not sound like an apology of Ikea - but i apologize for jumping to conclusions to quick. And true, Gutvik does lend itself much easier to the good-fuck interpretation than Gudvik. Ah well … ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/43 "2003-04-25T10:42:49Z")
I guess that these “Gutvik” shenanigans iare simialr to Commodore selling the VIC-20 computer as a the VC-20 in Germany. This page: [http://www.zimmers.net/cbmpics/cvc.html](http://www.zimmers.net/cbmpics/cvc.html) says, “According to legend. The VIC-20 was released in Germany as the VC-20 for two reasons. One, because of the popularity of Volkswagon, Commodore could market the VIC is the “VolksComputer” (People Computer). Second, because the “V” in “VIC” is pronounced as an “F” in Germany, meaning that “VIC” is pronounced as a vulgarity there…” ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/44 "2003-04-25T11:16:23Z")
Just around the corner from where I live, there is this huge HiFi/Video store. They sell pretty much everything AV-related, and take up half the street. A couple of weeks ago, I passed by there, and noticed something hilarious in their window display. “I gotta post this to the boards!”, I thought to myself - but I forgot until I saw this thread. So, here it is then: [The most inappropriately named satellite receiver in the world.](http://www.algevex.nl/Asscom.htm) Now, of course the word “ass” means nothing in _Dutch_. But the point is, that 80% of the populations knows damn well what “ass” means in _English_. Besides, with a name like this, how are you ever going to sell abroad? Stupid, stupid, STOOPID. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/45 "2003-04-25T11:29:06Z")
There was a very amusing program on the other night about [Mr Brain’s Faggots](http://www.mrbrainsfaggots.com/) . It was about how they were trying to find a family who loved faggots and were willing to go on a publicity drive. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/46 "2003-04-25T12:15:12Z")
On a sign outside a Chinese restaurant in Cork, Ireland: Lunchtime buffet 11:30 - 2:00 Diary ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/47 "2003-04-25T12:22:01Z")
When I lived in Indianapolis, there was a hardware supply company that billed itself as “The House Of A Million Screws”. ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/48 "2003-04-25T12:24:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > **There was a very amusing program on the other night about [Mr Brain’s Faggots](http://www.mrbrainsfaggots.com/) .** That site is absolutely _priceless_. > [@](#): > > It’s no wonder 100 million faggots are eaten in the UK every year! :eek: And when I saw that the [Faggot Family](http://www.mrbrainsfaggots.com/faggot_family.htm) were called “The Doodys”, I laughed until I cried. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/49 "2003-04-25T12:34:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl of the CC \* > \*\*There’s a soda somewhere, I think around South East Asia, called Sars. I think they’ll be changing the name shortly. \*\* I heard this on Bob and Tom yesterday, and it set off my BS detector in a big way. It sounds just like something out of the _Weekly World News_, like the [Saddam Hussein porno](http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/saddam.htm) from last week. Can anyone in Hong Kong confirm or deny this story? ---
**Author:** ![sWitchazel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sWitchazel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sWitchazel)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/50 "2003-04-25T12:40:43Z")
We used to have a Mexican restaurant here named “Besa Mi Burro”. The owner admitted it was totally intentional and was a bit surprised that the town council approved it. Strangely enough it burned down a few months later and they re-opened under a different name. The polite translation is “Kiss My Donkey”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/51 "2003-04-25T12:43:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number \* > \*\*I heard this on Bob and Tom yesterday, and it set off my BS detector in a big way. It sounds just like something out of the _Weekly World News_, like the [Saddam Hussein porno](http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/saddam.htm) from last week. Can anyone in Hong Kong confirm or deny this story? \*\* I can say that at all the supermarkets here you can buy Sars Rootbeer. I buy it occasionally. Not as good as A&W but it’ll do. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/52 "2003-04-25T13:05:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kallessa \* > \*\*Reminds me of a old joke: > > A new book just came out called _Finding the Source of the Yellow River_ > > And it’s written by We Pee Freely. \*\* Funny, my copy was written by I.P. Dailey. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/53 "2003-04-25T13:55:03Z")
I always though that **B&M Baked Beans** were poorly named (Yes, this is a real brand name, at least in our area). ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/54 "2003-04-25T14:14:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \* > \*\*I can say that at all the supermarkets here you can buy Sars Rootbeer. I buy it occasionally. Not as good as A&W but it’ll do. \*\* Aha, thanks. Score one for Bob and Tom. I wonder if Sars soda will end up like Ayds diet candy. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/55 "2003-04-25T15:05:32Z")
Here’s a good one. A restaurant that DID think before naming itself. But, some local legislators didn’t appreciate the double meaning. The name of the Mexican restaurant? **C.O. Jones**. Give it time, it’ll come to you… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/56 "2003-04-25T16:16:46Z")
Bit late there, **Max**. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/57 "2003-04-25T16:28:39Z")
Submitted for your amusement: [A photo I took in Brisbane, Australia](http://www.nothingisreal.com/tmp/smeg.jpg). Evidently whoever named this company has never watched an episode of Red Dwarf. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/58 "2003-04-25T17:30:51Z")
Well, the photo of the day on [www.engrish.com](http://www.engrish.com) seems to fit into the theme of this thread (go to April 25 in “Recent Discoveries” if you check the site after Friday). Also check out [April 8](http://www.engrish.com/recent/source/imcock.html), [9](http://www.engrish.com/recent/source/humanuser.html), and [10](http://www.engrish.com/recent/source/hotel_text.html) - they had a string of good ones. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/59 "2003-04-25T17:37:50Z")
I once say a restaurant in the boondocks of China called “Italian Cock King.” The first picture above reminds me of the Mongolian girl I knew with a shirt that simply said PENIS in huge letters. Naturally she had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920/60 "2003-04-25T18:16:08Z")
Let’s not forget that the company Novartis makes drugs for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-before-you-name-your-product/170920.md?page=4)