Yell.com reveals UK's 'spooktacular' business names - 31 October 2008
To mark Halloween, Yell.com – the online service from Yellow Pages - today revealed the most ‘spooktacular’ companies listed on its extensive business directory.Yell.com’s data experts found the word ‘wizard’ appears in the name of 420 businesses listed across the UK, with Glasgow-based dog trainers, The Wizard of Paws, one of the most creative.
‘Wizard’ beats its female counterpart, as ‘witch’ flies in at seventh position in the spookiest word used in business names. A total of 53 businesses in the UK use the word that conjures up images of cackling and bubbling cauldrons. These include Wick and Witch Witchmakers - a Manchester-based artist.
Spooktacular names are often used to add a touch of humour to bring to life a business’ area of expertise. The word ‘goblin’ is also popular with businesses. Our frightening friend is in ninth place but has been used to inject humour into the names of businesses such as Clevedon-based The Wobbly Goblin - a function room and Two Fat Goblins - a Stafford-based games shop.
Other popular spooky words used in business names include:
- ‘Pumpkin’ - 88 businesses find everyone’s Halloween favourite a great name to entice customers in
- ‘Ghost’ - 77 businesses find chilling inspiration from the spirits
- ‘Cobweb’ – 64 businesses are spellbound by the word
- ‘Trick or Treat’ – 62 businesses use the traditional Halloween game in their name
- ‘Demon’ – it’s in our nightmares and also popular with business owners. It is embraced 63 times by a diverse mix of companies including The Grinning Demon - a Maidstone-based comics shop
- ‘Cauldron’ - brews in at eighth place, with companies such as Berkshire-based FullMoons Cauldron using the witches’ favourite cooking pot to help name their business
- ‘Vampire’ creeps in at tenth position, causing inspiration for names such as Gothika Vampira - a County Durham-based body piercers. Perhaps enough to make you scream…
 | Spooky Word | No. of Businesses |
| 1 | Wizard | 420 |
| 2 | Pumpkin | 88 |
| 3 | Ghost | 77 |
| 4 | Cobweb | 64 |
| 5 | Demon | 63 |
| 6 | Trick or Treat | 62 |
| 7 | Witch | 53 |
| 8 | Cauldron | 16 |
| 9 | Goblin | 10 |
| 10 | Vampire | 5 |
Clodagh Ward, consumer development director at Yell, said: “Our analysis shows the wonderful creativity businesses across the UK use to promote their services. I’m fascinated to note that ‘wizard’ comes out on top – clearly our UK businesses are bubbling with magic!”
For further information about this press release, please contact the Yell Press Office.
Yell
Yell is a leading international directories business operating in classified advertising markets in the UK, US, Spain and Latin America through printed, online and telephone-based media. Yell’s principal brands include: in the UK, Yellow Pages, Yell.com and Yellow Pages 118 24 7; in the US, Yellow Book and Yellowbook.com; and in Spain, Paginas Amarillas and PaginasAmarillas.es. All these brands are trademarks.
Yell.com
Launched in 1996, Yell.com is a leading local search engine and major online advertising medium for UK businesses. Yell.com provides users with a direct route to finding a business or service online using keyword, type of business, or company name and location as search criteria. Users can review relevant search results and quickly determine the right business for their needs.
Yell.com’s database of over two million UK business listings including 210,000 searchable advertisers (June 2008) can be accessed via the web site (www.yell.com) and mobile channels including JAVA™ and WAP services. www.yell.com provides several useful features such as zoom-enabled maps with directions, closest car parks and a personal Yell.com address book facility to keep a record of regularly used businesses.
Yell.com is part of Yell, a leading international directories business operating in classified advertising markets in the UK, US, Spain and Latin America through printed, online and telephone-based media. Yell’s principal brands include: in the UK, Yellow Pages, Yell.com and Yellow Pages 118 24 7; in the US, Yellow Book and Yellowbook.com; and in Spain, Paginas Amarillas and PaginasAmarillas.es. All these brands are trademarks.
Yell's online image library, containing product shots and logos can be found at: www.yellgroup.com/images
Bookmark with:
> what are these?