The UK has voted for its favourite pun-based shop name, and ‘Sew It Seams’ – a clothing alteration store in Belfast – has nabbed the number one spot.
Language learning platform Babbel scoured TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook to identify UK shops with clever or amusing names, before putting forward 120 store names to a public vote to find the one that represented the pun-acle of British humour.
In second and third place respectively, overall, came Harlech-based clothing shop Damsel In This Dress and removal company Jean Claude Van Man, from Southport.
Alongside the three national winners, Babbel announced the most popular store names in each UK region – from London-based hair salon Barber Streisand to Dartmoor’s Sherlock Holmes-inspired food van The Hound of the Basket Meals (best in the South West) and Shetland’s pet-sitting service Hairy Pop-Ins (best in Scotland).
The pun doesn’t stop there, though. Best of the East Midlands shop names was Ashbourne’s On a Wick and a Prayer – a sparky name for a candle shop.
Pun-in-a-million: The UK has voted for its favourite pun-based shop name, and Belfast’s clothing alteration store ‘Sew It Seams’ has nabbed the number one spot
Pun-doubtably a winner: ‘Hound of the Basket Meals’, a Dartmoor food truck, named best in the South West
BEST PUN-BASED SHOP NAMES IN THE UK BY REGION 2024
East Midlands: On a Wick and a Prayer, Candle Shop (Ashbourne)
East of England: Alley Barber, Barbers (Luton)
London: Barber Streisand, Hairdressers (Clerkenwell)
North East: Tan Solo, Tanning Shop (Sunderland)
North West: Jean Claude Van Man, Removals Van (Southport)
Northern Ireland: Sew It Seams, Alterations (Belfast)
Scotland: Hairy Pop-Ins, Pet Sitter (Mainland Shetland)
South East: Pane in the Glass, Window Repairs (Kent)
South West: The Hound of the Basket Meals, Food Van (Dartmoor)
Wales: Damsel In This Dress, Clothing Shop (Harlech)
West Midlands: Iron Maiden, Ironing Service (Birmingham)
Yorkshire and the Humber: Frying Nemo, Fish and Chip Shop (Goole)
Source: Babbel.com
Luton stole the East of England crown with barber shop Alley Barbers, while the force was with Sunderland in the survey – its tanning shop nabbed the North East England prize for Tan Solo.
Down in the South, East Kent stood out with Pane in The Glass (a window repair shop), while the West Midlands was represented by Birmingham’s ironing service, Iron Maiden.
Rounding out the list was the delightful Frying Nemo, a fish and chip shop in Goole.
Of the contest, Noël Wolf, cultural expert and Babbel live teacher, said: ‘Puns are a cultural phenomenon deeply rooted in British society. Originating from the jesters of mediaeval times and flourishing in the Elizabethan era, the art of punning has evolved through the ages, finding a modern home in everyday conversations.
‘These linguistic gems not only highlight the adaptability of the English language but also serve as a reflection of our everyday lives, blending wit with the mundane. From cleverly named shops to literature, this wordplay has become an integral part of our communication landscape.
‘As we navigate the twists and turns of modern communication, puns stand as enduring testaments to the charm of language, making the serious business of everyday life a little more entertaining.’
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Pun-nacle of British humour: UK votes for its favourite pun-based shop name, with ‘Sew It Seams’ – a clothing alteration store in Belfast – declared the winner
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