Vote Launched To Crown The Nation’s Punniest Shop Name
Linguistic experts at language learning platform, Babbel (www.babbel.com), have analysed TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook to shortlist the UK shops – with clever or amusing puns in their names – that are most frequently celebrated on social media.
Babbel today releases a shortlist of the 120 most popular shop name puns, sub-divided into 12 regions across the UK. Now, to celebrate this peculiarly British form of retail-linked, linguistic wordplay, Babbel is inviting the UK public to vote for its favourite. The search is hosted on the Babbel website at https://uk.babbel.com/shop-pun-competition.
In a world where wordplay reigns supreme, where hair salons are branded “Barber Streisand,” kebab shops bear names like “Abra Kebabra,” and removals vans don the title “Jean Claude Van Man”, puns have become more than just clever linguistic gymnastics and are a cherished British tradition.
A selection of the shop name puns most celebrated on social media, region-by-region, include:
- London: Curl Up and Dye (Hairdressers, New Malden), Tottenham Hot Spuds (Jacket potato café, Tottenham), Spex In The City (Eyewear shop, Covent Garden)
- Scotland: Wok-ness (Chinese takeaway, Edinburgh), Easy PC (Computer repairs, Haddington), The Frying Scotsman (Fish and chips shop, Musselburgh).
- Wales: Darth Vaper (Vape shop, Bridgend), Cwtchina Italiana (Italian restaurant, Swansea), Bonnie Tiler (Tilers, Glamorgan)
- Northern Ireland: Thaitanic (Thai restaurant, Belfast), Yer Coddin Me (Fish and chips shop, Nowtownards), Sew It Seams (Alterations, Belfast).
- East Midlands: The Cod’s Scallops (Fish and chip shop, Nottingham), Dire Scrapes (Motor repairs, Leicester), Junk and Disorderly (Antiques shop, Uppingham).
- East of England: Puff Dad E (Vape shop, Essex), Short Bark and Sides (Groomer, Cromer), Alley Barber (Barbers, Bedfordshire).
- North East: Amy’s Winehouse (Wine, Sunderland), Sofa So Good (Sofa Store, Durham), Sushi Me Rollin (Sushi, Newcastle), and Lino Richie (Flooring, Newcastle).
- North West: Jean Claude Van Man (Removals, Southport), Tan-a-reef (Tanning salon, Manchester), Vinyl Resting Place (Record shop, Manchester).
- South East: Spruce Springclean (Cleaning service, Brighton), Pane in the Glass (Window repairs, Kent), Kilning Me Softly (Pottery Café, Milton Keynes).
- South West: Jason Donervan (Kebab van, Bristol), The Loovre (Art gallery in old public toilets, Painswick), The Pursuit of Hoppiness (Craft Beer, Bridport).
- West Midlands: Balti Towers (Indian restaurant, Halesowen), Rice to meet you (Sushi restaurant, Birmingham), Man A Boot Town (Men’s clothing shop, Stoke-On-Trent).
- Yorkshire and the Humber: Frying Nemo (Fish and chips shop, Yorkshire), Deja Brew, (Café, Wakefield), Doner Summer (Kebab shop, Leeds).
Noël Wolf, Linguistic & Cultural Expert at Babbel comments, “The linguistic phenomenon of the pun is a play on words that transcends cultures, but it undeniably holds a special place in British hearts. The history of puns in the UK is steeped in tradition, dating back through centuries of literature, comedy, and everyday conversation. The beauty of a pun lies in its ability to exploit the versatile vocabulary and multiplicity of meanings of English – the prevalence of the pun in Britain is testament to the flexibility and richness of the English language. Puns serve as a reminder that language is a dynamic and playful tool that can be harnessed to entertain, educate, and connect people. Whether in casual conversations, literature, or advertising, puns have the ability to captivate our minds and elevate our communication.”
The full shortlist of puns is as follows:
East Midlands:
- The Cod’s Scallops, Fish and chip shop, Nottingham
- On a Wick and a Prayer, Candle shop, Ashbourne
- Sherwood Florist, Florist, New Ollerton
- Doughnotts, Doughnuts, Nottingham
- GenHairAtions, Hairdresser, Spilsby
- 10 Dining Street, Restaurant, Oakham, Rutland
- Thanks a Bunch, Florist, Chesterfield
- Croc-A-Tile, Tiles, Chesterfield
- Toast Office, Café, Fleckney
- Dire Scrapes, Vehicle Repair, Leicester Forest East
East of England:
- Alley Barber, Barbers, Luton
- Dr Wheelgood, Bike Shop, North Walsham
- Stoned and Hammered, Jewellery, Norwich
- Short Bark and Sides, Groomer, Cromer
- Planet of the Crepes, Crepe Van, Essex
- Cream Me Up Scotty, Cafe, Norfolk
- Puff Dad E, Vaping shop, Waltham Abbey
- Pressed for time, Dry cleaners, Watford
- Cycledealia, Cycle shop, Hitchin
- Cane and Able, Mobility Shop, Hitchin
London:
- Barber Streisand, Hairdresser, Clerkenwell
- Curl Up and Dye, Hairdresser, New Malden
- Tottenham Hot Spuds, Jacket Potato Café, Tottenham
- Planet of the Grapes, Wine bar, City of London
- The Codfather, Fish & chip shop, Leytonstone
- Holy Shot, Café, Bethnal Green
- Abra Kebabra, Kebab shop, Croydon
- Bits and PCs, Tech repair, Bayswater
- Spex In The City, Luxury eyewear shop, Covent Garden
- Sellfridges, White goods trader, Stoke Newington
North East:
- Tan Solo, Tanning salon, Sunderland
- Amy’s Winehouse, Wine shop, Sunderland
- OnlyTans, Tanning salon, Durham
- The Tees’pot, Tearoom, Middleton-in-Teesdale
- Sofa So Good, Sofa store, Durham
- Morgan Treeman, Tree surgeon, Morpeth
- The Mule on Rouge, Café, Berwick-upon-Tweed
- Sushi Me Rollin’, Sushi, Newcastle
- Aye Phones, Mobile phone shop, Sunderland
- Lino Richie, Flooring, Newcastle
North West:
- Jean Claude Van Man, Removals, Southport
- Tan-a-reef, Tanning salon, Manchester
- Slots of Fun, Arcade, Blackpool
- Vinyl Resting Place, Record shop, Manchester
- Floral and Hardy, Florist, Ulverston
- Baguette Me Not, Sandwich, Barrow-in-Furness
- Salty Towers, Fish & chip shop, Stockport
- Brewed Awakenings, Café, Carlisle
- Some Fin Fishy, Pet shop, Wirral
- Pest in Peace, Pest control, Wilmslow
Northern Ireland:
- Sew It Seams, Alterations, Belfast
- Thaitanic, Thai restaurant, Belfast
- We Knead Pizza, Pizza restaurant, Belfast
- Oh My Cod, Fish & Chips, Belfast
- Wok Inn, Asian restaurant, Downpatrick
- The Cod Father, Fish & chips shop, Newtownards
- Wok this Way, Chinese takeaway, Belfast
- The Upper Crumb, Bakery, Belfast
- Yer Coddin Me, Fish & chip shop, Newtownards
- Codzilla, Fish & chip shop, Belfast
Scotland:
- Wok-ness, Chinese takeaway, Edinburgh
- Hairy Pop-Ins, Pet nannies, Mainland Shetland, Scotland
- Wright Hair, Right Now, Hairdresser, Campbeltown
- Easy PC, Computer repairs, Haddington
- No Grout About It, Tiling services, Edinburgh
- Ayr Cuts, Hairdresser, Ayr
- Reservoir Logs, Firewood, Fife
- The Frying Scotsman, Fish & chips shop, Musselburgh
- Rock n Rollers, Hairdresser, Glasgow
- Tikka-way, Indian takeaway, Kilmarnock
South East:
- Pane in the Glass, Window repairs, Kent
- Barber Black Sheep, Barbers, Brighton
- Tickety Brew, Café, Aylesbury
- Chipsy King, Chip shop, Egham
- Spruce Springclean, Cleaning service, Brighton
- Argy-Bhaji, Indian restaurant, Crawley
- William the Concreter, Concrete mixer van, Battle
- Kilning Me Softly, Pottery café, Milton Keynes
- Back to the Fuchsia, Florist, Milton Keynes
- Licence to Kale, Juice bar, Hastings
South West:
- The Hound of the Basket Meals, Food van, Dartmoor, Devon
- The Grape and the Good, Wine shop, Wells Somerset
- The Loovre, Art gallery in old public toilets, Painswick
- Jack of All Fades, Barber, Southbourne
- The Pursuit of Hoppiness, Craft beer shop, Bridport
- Jason Donervan, Kebab van, Bristol
- Game of Cones, Ice cream shop, Fowey
- Alterknit Universe, Knitting supplies shop, Cleeve
- Taco Look At Me Now, Taco van, West Sussex
- Second Combing, Hairdresser, Bristol
Wales:
- Damsel In This Dress, Clothes shop, Harlech
- Bonnie Tiler, Tilers, Glamorgan
- Dark Side of the Bloom, Florist, Bangor
- Love you a Latte, Café, Mumbles
- Uncommon Ground, Café, Cardiff
- Darth Vaper, Vape shop, Bridgend
- Cwtchina Italiana, Italian restaurant, Swansea
- Oh My Cod, Fish & chips shop, Tenby
- Chance & Counters, Board game café, Cardiff
- A Fish Called Rhondda, Fish & chips shop, Pentre
West Midlands:
- The Batter of the Bosworth, Fish & chips shop, Nuneaton
- Iron Maiden, Ironing service, Birmingham
- Apocalypse Cow, BBQ restaurant, Birmingham
- Live & Let Dye, Hairdresser, Stafford
- Brews of the World, Craft beer shop, Burton-on-Trent
- Rice To Meet You, Sushi restaurant, Birmingham
- Man A Boot Town, Men’s clothing shop, Stoke-On-Trent
- ShakesPaw Cat Café, Café, Stratford-Upon-Avon
- The Pork of the Town, Hot dog van, Coventry
- Balti Towers, Indian restaurant, Halesowen
Yorkshire and the Humber:
- Frying Nemo, Fish & chip shop, Goole
- Luther Van Gloss, Painter and decorator, West Yorkshire
- New Cod on the Block, Fish & chip shop, Sheffield
- Wok This Way, Chinese takeaway, Sheffield
- Doner Summer, Kebab, Leeds
- Vinyl Tap, Record Shop, Huddersfield
- Skin and Tonic, Skin care and beauty, Scarborough
- Deja Brew, Coffee Shop, Wakefield
- The Lawn Ranger, Gardener, Leeds
- Aye’crumb’bar, Bakery, Sheffield
About Babbel
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Featured Photo by Bruno Martins on Unsplash.