Comments on: I need a cute business name

Question: I need a cute business name

FritoKAL — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:00:26 -0800

Help! I need a cute and quirky name for a small baking business - more catering than not, and definitely on the cute-and-quirky side, since it specializes in cupcakes.

It's sort of last minute because it's been very word of mouth lately but I have a delivery to make and the person I'm making cupcakes for asked if I had business cards. I can make them very last minute, but I'm stuck on business names.

Useful facts to know:

I live in San Diego, CA.
I am a fan of internet memes.
I'm female.
I work in IT.
It's pretty much all cupcakes all the time around here. (And by here, I mean my house and very tiny baking empire)
I'm more inclined to cute and quirky than uber-slick and professional. I mean, it's -cupcakes-.

I briefly considered "I heard you like cupcakes", in the "I herd u liek mudkips' sense, and using the meme-spelling for internet-culture savvy folks, but it seems too long and WAY too quirky.

I'm at a loss. Halp?

By: sandking

sandking — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:05:06 -0800

The Cupcake's Not A Lie

By: Fuzzy Skinner

Fuzzy Skinner — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:06:50 -0800

Cupquakes.
A tremblor for your tastebuds.

By: Perplexer

Perplexer — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:07:12 -0800

Two girls, one cupcake? :p

By: prefpara

prefpara — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:07:31 -0800

I can has cupcake?

By: Perplexer

Perplexer — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:09:28 -0800

Or the stuffy and professional, but obvious: Cupcaterers.

By: fixedgear

fixedgear — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:09:37 -0800

Muffin tops?

By: iconomy

iconomy — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:11:47 -0800

Cupcake Girl is Watching You Masticate

By: Zambrano

Zambrano — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:13:20 -0800

Top of the Muffin to You (no exclamation point).

By: astrochimp

astrochimp — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:16:07 -0800

Cup-Cup-Cater-Cakes

By: 5MeoCMP

5MeoCMP — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:19:46 -0800

I'm in ur cupcake, sating ur hunger.

Cupcakese.cx

By: meeshell

meeshell — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:21:52 -0800

ucanhazcupcakes

By: Science!

Science! — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:21:58 -0800

What if you just did "Hey! I heard you like cupcakes!" You could put that on your eventual nationwide chain of bakeries, but when people in the know talked about you they could just call it "Hey! Cupcakes!" which is also how you would answer the phone.

By: Airhen

Airhen — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:23:46 -0800

What about making up business cards with just your name for now, and then putting more thought into a business name when it's not all at the last minute? When you eventually have a real business name it won't ne awkward for the people who have your "just your name" cards to be using just your name.

By: needled

needled — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:27:15 -0800

Cupcaketeria

By: plinth

plinth — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:27:47 -0800

A Cup
Cuppy Cakes

By: spec80

spec80 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:28:08 -0800

Never gonna run around and dessert you

By: brain cloud

brain cloud — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:28:49 -0800

OMG CUPCAKES

By: winston

winston — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:29:08 -0800

Yeah, I'd go with just your name for this order of business cards. I fully expect that Ask Mefi will provide a long list of excellent choices, but you need to take your time to select the right one.

By: greta simone

greta simone — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:30:00 -0800

Pattycakes

By: netbros

netbros — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:30:38 -0800

A-Cup Cakes, or b,c,d ... y'know.

By: kayzie

kayzie — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:32:43 -0800

Beware, cheeziness to follow:

The Perfect Bite
Big Taste, Small Package
I 8 It All

By: austinlee

austinlee — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:32:51 -0800

UPCAKES and then use the computer cursor as a logo next to it!

OR ICUPCAKES..... I see you pee cakes..... haha, get it? eh... sorry... I like UPCAKES though!

By: austinlee

austinlee — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:33:42 -0800

OR you could use the UP arrow key as a logo....

By: landedjentry

landedjentry — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:34:57 -0800

Dr. LOLcakes -- actually the name of a nonexistent nerd-bakery me and my friends half-joked about starting. We were going to have Rickrolls and Twitters and Something Awesomes (hey, what about those?) and such, but since this probably won't happen, feel free.

Sweet Cuppin' Cakes (probably not copyrighted by Strong Bad)

By: katemcd

katemcd — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:35:01 -0800

I love Science!'s suggestion, but I also agree with Winston that you want to take your time with this. I'd go with your name for the short-term, then launch the business name after you've had time to mull over all the possibilities. Wow, now all I can think is mmmm. . . cupcakes. Too bad I am nowhere near San Diego.

By: mynameisluka

mynameisluka — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:40:12 -0800

Bits n Bytes
What the Cup!
Cuppa Cakes
C-Cup
Something with the word "meme" in it?
CakeWalk
Cupcake Nation/Empire
Queen Cake
Cake N Bake
Uppity Cakes
Bakery Bytes
Cake Router
Uncommon Cakes
One Girl, One Cupcake? (groannn)

By: Flunkie

Flunkie — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:41:43 -0800

Cupcakeucopia

Have your logo be a cornucopia overflowing with cupcakes.

By: BitterOldPunk

BitterOldPunk — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:44:18 -0800

Cupcakes (or Death)

Scrumptious Crumpets

Very Tiny Baking Empire, LLC

By: rhizome

rhizome — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:44:57 -0800

Canhas Cakes

By: Gucky

Gucky — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:46:36 -0800

I'd go with the Spinal Tap song "Cups and Cakes".

Or, to be all memey:
- All Your Cake Are Belong To Us.
- Mai kupkakes!
- sudo bake (or sudo bake cupcakes)
- FTP (Fine, Tasty Pastry)
- Cakerolled.

By: jay dee bee

jay dee bee — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:48:52 -0800

Cup of Cake
Bytes
Mega Bytes
LolCakes (without the Dr.)
cup dot cake
dot cupcakes

I really should formulate naming ideas *before* reading comments! :)

By: h00py

h00py — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:01:26 -0800

I Make Cupcake

By: LucretiusJones

LucretiusJones — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:12:06 -0800

Let them eat cupcake
Cupcake Laboratories

By: Sassyfras

Sassyfras — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:14:30 -0800

Teh Cupcakes

By: Ambrosia Voyeur

Ambrosia Voyeur — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:19:25 -0800

Cupk4xx0red!

Nuffin' Says Luffin' like a Muffin' in the Uffin!

Bake a Cupcake (Bake, bake a cupcake!)

Fluffy Muffins

I maked you a cupcake! (But I eated it)

...In a Cup!! (Come on, Wall-E? Anyone?)

Just Desserts

Bakr (Bakr loves you)

Sweet Cuppin' Cakes

By: beaucoupkevin

beaucoupkevin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:20:32 -0800

Anything Meme-Based is going to confuse your potential customers that aren't deeply embedded. I'd recommend something slightly less niche, perhaps "KL Cupcakes" or "Cupcakes By Karen"? The tagline could be "Making better baked goods since 2008" or something equally wink-oriented.

By: holloway

holloway — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:21:52 -0800

(And by here, I mean my house and very tiny baking empire)

Tiny Baking Empire.

By: gnomeloaf

gnomeloaf — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:27:33 -0800

Cupcakes For The Win!

(I'm compelled by nerdforce to suggest Cupcakes and Grief Counseling.)

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:30:18 -0800

Nom Nom Nom Cupcakes

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:30:45 -0800

or, rather:

Nom Nom Nom Cupcakes!

By: curagea

curagea — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:40:40 -0800

Weird Mama's

By: SNACKeR

SNACKeR — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:42:39 -0800

That's My Cupcake
Beowulf Cluster Cakes (j/k)

By: chez shoes

chez shoes — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:49:05 -0800

O HAI Cupcake?

(Actually - I really like Hey, Cupcake! even though it's not internet-culturey).

By: Camofrog

Camofrog — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:04:47 -0800

Goatsecakes?

Sorry. Diegocakes? [yournamehere]cakes? Batshitinsanegreatcakes? Holyawesomecakes? Crushcakes?

Meme-y is great but yeah, don't baffle potential customers with a nerdster name.

By: FritoKAL

FritoKAL — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:17:44 -0800

Good lord. I was only at the Panera and the craft store for like, 2 hours, guys. (Although we checked in from dinner. Yes, we're nerds.)

Lesee. Responses.

I don't think anything lightly memeish will alienate any potential customers - I mean, really, it's -cupcakes-. If you're an adult and ordering 80 cupcakes for your birthday party, or 3 sets of 2 dozen for a New Years Party, you're already kind of like "Teehee, I'm an adult and getting grown-up cupcakes." and kind of amused by the whole deal, or so everyone I've made them for so far has been. Granted at New Years, the rum in the mojito cupcakes may have been a factor there.

I'm not looking for strong memeish, although "I Can Has cupcake" and "Sweet Cupping Cakes" cracked me up - the former is just a little too memeish and runs the risk of people thinking I can't has grammar and the latter is really property of the people who make Strongbad, and as much as I love The Cheat, I won't bogart even if it isn't copyrighted. For similar reasons, despite the tag on my LJ, I won't go with Cupcake Mad Science - it's a little TOO quirky.

I'm avoiding my real name or initials because it just gives me the heebie jeebies. I can't explain it, it's probably totally irrational, but it's just not something I'm comfortable with.

I'm strongly leaning towards Hey! Cupcakes! It's quirky, it's fun, it's something people actually -say-, and it's not really internet memeish at all. And as much as I really DO love mudkips, I also know the background behind the meme, and it's probably something I want to avoid there. It's that or "Tiny Baking Empire", which also fits all of my criteria (cute, catchy, quirky, made me laugh)

That said, the plan is to make up two sets of cards - one with the business name and some taglineish "Delicious cupcakes blah blah blah" type deal, and another set with the business name and things like "I made you a cupcake (but I eated it)" and "I can has cupcake" and the like. Because some of the people who get them ARE internet savvy, and have already made the 'I can has cupcake? no, you cans not has, I eated it." jokes.

Wow, that was a long response. I'm going to go count cupcake wrappers now. (Yes, seriously.)

By: backwards guitar

backwards guitar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:20:51 -0800

"Pretty Much Cupcakes"

By: staggernation

staggernation — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:16:29 -0800

Are Those Cupcakes?

By: nicwolff

nicwolff — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:42:59 -0800

Rather than "Hey! Cupcakes!" I like "Hey, Cupcake!" - with the flirty double-entendre.

By: milqman

milqman — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:15:10 -0800

Cupcakery

By: jozzas

jozzas — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:57:08 -0800

Muffin to see here

By: Jubey

Jubey — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:26:13 -0800

Take the Cake
The Enchanted Oven

By: b33j

b33j — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:38:02 -0800

I don't know about where you are, but where I am, if you have a business name that is not your name (ie J Smith Cupcakes) then you have to register it for a fee with an authority AND it has to be one that hasn't already been registered. Imagine your chagrin should you be using the delightful "Hey, cupcakes!" if you should suddenly receive a Cease and desist letter from these people. Of course, there are rules about which state you're registered in, and which country, but I know nothing about this.

I would recommend you start with Your Name Cupcakes and if the business takes off from there, register a name that you've spent a bit of time on.

By: Mike1024

Mike1024 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:19:39 -0800

Cupcakes Cupcakes
Cupcakes Intergalactic
Enron Cupcakes (lots of brand recognition with this one, and I hear no-one's using it)

By: jrishel

jrishel — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:19:50 -0800

Pak! Chooie! Cupcake!
We Are the Space Cupcakes
The Terrible Secret of Cupcakes
Cupcakes are the Answer
Do You have Cupcakes in your House?
Stand By Your Cupcakes

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/terriblesecret

By: jrishel

jrishel — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:43:32 -0800

Cupcakes Are Your New Bicycle

By: utsutsu

utsutsu — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:10:39 -0800

The Cupcakery is taken. One just opened up here in Winnipeg and I've been told that there are others elsewhere. Just FYI.

By: cockeyed

cockeyed — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:18:50 -0800

"OMG Cupcakes" is twice as good an any other suggestion on this page. There is your winner.

But, I'll still take a stab at it:
Mouthful of Cake
Cupcake Diet
What about Brian?
Celebration Cupcakes
Eat these Cupcakes.

If you have a two-digit street address (yes at your house) you can use XX Cupcakes, (e.g. 54 Cupcakes). When I think of 54 Cupcakes, it makes me thing, "Wow! I want to see all those cupcakes!"

By: collocation

collocation — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:19:36 -0800

There is a cupcake business in Austin, TX called Hey Cupcake!

By: booknerd

booknerd — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:49:56 -0800

Heh, I like "OMG Cupcakes". For the non-internet savvy folks, you could make something else up that OMG "stands for".

Oh hey, if you need taste-testers for cupcakes in San Diego, uhm... *ahem*.

By: davetill

davetill — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:03:54 -0800

My first thought was "Bun In The Oven".