Business names that sound strange to others?

[Redsoil]

A business in the US pops up often enough here that I've become used to it, but it still sounds a bit strange to me!  Chik-fil-a (I think that's the spelling).  It just seems "awkward" to me.

What names have others found slightly unusual or strange to their ears/eyes?

[RingTailedLemur]

Jiffy Lube sounds really rude to me.

[Mrs T]

Not a business name, but business "type" - Realtor. I always have to think twice as to what it is, because to me, the name doesn't describe it.

[Irishkitty]

Not a business name, but business "type" - Realtor. I always have to think twice as to what it is, because to me, the name doesn't describe it.

Here we call them "estate agents" or "real estate agents". The former to me sounds like they're dealing with wills and the latter like they're dealing with vast huge stately properties.

"Siemens" - No need to comment there I feel.

"Soon Fatt" - a local take away 

"Wimpys" (SPL?) - just seems wrong.

[nutraxfornerves]

If my car is in an accident and I need the dents hammered out of the door, I take it to an American "body shop." If I were in Australia or New Zealand, I'd take it to a "panel beater." First time I saw "panel beater" on a sign, I had no idea what it might be. It certainly conjures up an image of a bunch of folks hammering out those dents.

[Thipu1]

A business in the US pops up often enough here that I've become used to it, but it still sounds a bit strange to me!  Chik-fil-a (I think that's the spelling).  It just seems "awkward" to me.

What names have others found slightly unusual or strange to their ears/eyes?

Think of Chik-FIL-A as pronounced like 'Chick Filet'.  It means a boneless piece of chicken and that's what the chain offers.  we don't have those have those restaurants around here but I wish we did.

The first time I visited the UK, I had a problem with the 'Royal Liver's Insurance'. I thought  this was a company to insure the organ that lies in the center of our bodies.  Well, yes.  People in the UK and Ireland do tend to like their beer.  I didn't know that the word was pronounced with a long 'I' rather than a short one. 

[Irishkitty]

A business in the US pops up often enough here that I've become used to it, but it still sounds a bit strange to me!  Chik-fil-a (I think that's the spelling).  It just seems "awkward" to me.

What names have others found slightly unusual or strange to their ears/eyes?

Think of Chik-FIL-A as pronounced like 'Chick Filet'.  It means a boneless piece of chicken and that's what the chain offers.  we don't have those have those restaurants around here but I wish we did.

The first time I visited the UK, I had a problem with the 'Royal Liver's Insurance'. I thought  this was a company to insure the organ that lies in the center of our bodies.  Well, yes.  People in the UK and Ireland do tend to like their beer.  I didn't know that the word was pronounced with a long 'I' rather than a short one. 

Yes, it's pronounced "lye - vers" I believe.

"Scottish widows" is another - it's a pension/investment group.

[BabylonSister]

If my car is in an accident and I need the dents hammered out of the door, I take it to an American "body shop." If I were in Australia or New Zealand, I'd take it to a "panel beater." First time I saw "panel beater" on a sign, I had no idea what it might be. It certainly conjures up an image of a bunch of folks hammering out those dents.

And when *I* first came to the US and saw "body shop", I wondered why it didn't look girly and relaxing. I thought t would be a place where you'd buy beauty products for your body.

[Betelnut]

Not a business name, but business "type" - Realtor. I always have to think twice as to what it is, because to me, the name doesn't describe it.

Here we call them "estate agents" or "real estate agents". The former to me sounds like they're dealing with wills and the latter like they're dealing with vast huge stately properties.

"Siemens" - No need to comment there I feel.

"Soon Fatt" - a local take away 

"Wimpys" (SPL?) - just seems wrong.

Wimpys is for a character in Popeye who ate hamburgers all the time.

[Black Delphinium]

A former Dunkin Donuts turned locally owned donut shop in central Pennsylvania- Curry Donuts. I'm sure its the family name, but it sounded disgusting the first time I saw the sign.

[Slartibartfast]

Crye-Leike Realtors is a regional chain, but it always makes me think "Cry like a what?  Baby?" and doesn't particularly inspire me to feel chipper about buying a house

[WhiteTigerCub]

I'm a US west coast girl. When I traveled to the east coast once, a top manager asked me if I wanted something from the Wawa. I thought he was going to the restroom. 

Wawa is a big convenience food store on the east coast.

[hobish]

In a shopping center down toward Atlantic City there is a row of stores that by themselves wouldn’t be so bad; but lined up just looks odd.
BJ’s – Sieman’s – wingadingdingy’s* – maternity shop.

When i was doing alarm monitoring there was a shop called (Owner's) Meats & Perfumes. I am still not sure what that is all about. It's got something to do with spices, i bet; but i wonder to this day.

I know how Chik-Fil-A is pronounced, but it still looks weird to me, too. I am guessing it is the cutesy intentional misspelling, especially with a “k” in there and the dashes. I’m sure it’s more attractive from a marketing standpoint than Chick’ Filet would have been, but still.


Not "wingadingdingy's" - the sporting goods store

[Betelnut]

In a shopping center down toward Atlantic City there is a row of stores that by themselves wouldn’t be so bad; but lined up just looks odd.
BJ’s – Sieman’s – wingadingdingy’s* – maternity shop.

 

LOL!!!!!

[SamiHami]

I will always have a fondness for Chik Fil A, as a Romanian friend of mine just could not get the name right. He always called it "cheek a fil." I thought that was adorable.