Sometimes coming up with a name is really hard. Have you ever had to name a band, fantasy football team or baby? I’ve read and heard of many instances in which the name of (blank) was a result of people giving up and just settling on something.

What would you name a restaurant? Seems like the easiest way to go would be to use your name (e.g. McDonald’s), the type of cuisine (e.g. Pizza Hut) or maybe a play on words (e.g. Pink Taco).

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, “[F]or more upscale restaurants, the stakes are higher. A creative name can set a restaurant apart, but it can also lead to misunderstandings. Ideally, a name should convey something about the establishment, such as its style or cuisine, or even its location. It should be easy to pronounce and spell, yet different enough to suggest that the restaurant has something special to offer.”

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some names of restaurants in the Madison area:

• 43 North. This refers to the latitude on which both Madison and owner Shinji Muramoto’s hometown of Sapporo, Japan sit. I like it.
• Dumpling Haus vs. Essen Haus. The former is confusing. Is this some Asian-German hybrid? Nope. Meanwhile, there’s no confusing the German theme of the latter.
• Tipsy Cow. When in doubt, make your place sound Wisconsin-y. Do you honestly think the beer Spotted Cow would sell as well if it was named Plain Ol’ New Glarus Beer? Seems like traffic at Tipsy Cow has improved over its predecessor, King & Mane (a great play on words based on its location, by the way).
• Game Time Sports Bar and Grill and Players Sports Bar & Grill vs. Legends Sports Bar & Grill and Stadium Sports Bar & Eatery. The first two would be great names if it wasn’t for the fact that they’re not sports bars. Essentially, there’s nothing to distinguish them from any other bar to watch the game. On the other hand, Legends and Stadium are outstanding sports bars, and thus deserve to keep the word “sports” in their respective names.
• Porktropolis, Fat Sandwich Company and Wasabi. I like these names because you know exactly what you’re getting before you walk in.

If you were to open a restaurant, what cuisine would you serve, what part of town would it be located and most importantly, what would you call it?