New data from ukphonebook.com reveals the changing preferences in pub names over the past three years, as well as an updated list of the most popular pub names
York, UK –
New data from ukphonebook.com has revealed the changing trends in pub names over the past three years, as well as an updated top 10 list of most popular names.
With a database of 4 million businesses, ukphonebook.com used its business search to find all the pubs registered in the UK. It analysed the data to find the most popular new pub names since 2020.
Trends in pub names since 2020
ukphonebook.com pulled data from 2020 to 2023 to see which new pub names are most popular and which ones have grown – or shrunk – in popularity.
The 10 most popular are – as expected – topped by The Red Lion.
Position
Most Popular 2023
Total
1
RED LION
517
2
ROYAL OAK
472
3
CROWN (INN)
446
4
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
335
5
WHITE HORSE
303
6
WHITE HART
276
7
NEW INN
273
8
ROSE CROWN
226
9
KINGS ARMS
208
10
PLOUGH (INN)
206
And it’s no surprise the most popular new pub name in the last three years is also The Red Lion. But there are some significant naming trends over the past three years:
Position
Most Popular since 2020
Total
1
RED LION
25
2
ROYAL OAK
20
3
WHITE HORSE
15
3
CROWN
15
5
KINGS ARMS
10
5
GEORGE
10
7
CROWN INN
8
7
COACH HORSES
8
7
VICTORIA
8
10
WHITE HART
7
Looking at which types of pub names have become more popular, animal-themed names have risen in popularity – with 6.5% more pubs named after animals in the past three years.
Royal names have also seen a 7.7% increase – possibly inspired by the coronation of King Charles.
Position
Most popular name type since 2020
Total
% change
1
Animal
113
6.5
2
Royalty
70
7.7
3
Tree / Plant
24
-0.4
4
Machinery / Tools
19
-1.9
5
Vehicle
18
-2.2
6
Location
12
-1.4
7
History
7
-2.5
8
Age
6
-1.3
9
Space
6
-0.8
10
Job
2
-1.6
11
Sport
0
-1.0
12
Religious
0
-0.6
13
Food
0
-0.5
After that, however, the other themes have all dropped. Sports, Religion and Food have inspired zero people to name pubs after them in the past three years – no Cricketers, no Angels, and no Shoulders of Mutton.
Are you ‘Inn’ or out?
Another new trend is the inclusion of ‘Inn’ as part of a pub’s name.
Inns – historically, places along a road where travellers could stop and rest – have inspired many pub names in the past. But times are changing.
There are 2,264 (28%) UK pubs with ‘Inn’ in their title. However, since 2020 only 16% of new pubs have chosen to include ‘Inn’ as part of their name.
This could be due to the popularity of shorter names – The Crown instead of The Crown Inn. Or it could be that many new pubs simply don’t consider themselves Inns because they don’t offer rooms.
What is the most popular pub name in the UK?
The most common pub name in the UK is The Red Lion, with 468 pubs using this classic name.
Position
Most Popular
Total
1
RED LION
468
2
ROYAL OAK
433
3
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
335
4
NEW INN
273
5
CROWN INN
267
6
WHITE HART
233
7
ROSE CROWN
226
8
WHITE HORSE
218
9
KINGS ARMS
208
10
PLOUGH INN
206
Coming second on the list is The Royal Oak, with 433 pubs taking this name. Royal British Legion sneaks into the top three with many members only clubs using this name. There are over 400 registered RBL clubs in the UK, though not all have the same pub name.
Kevan Wilding, founder of Pubwiki, said: “Pub names are really interesting if looked at from an earlier date. There were many thousands of beer houses opened in the 1850s with a sign outside giving a beer house its name. Some of these went on to become the modern-day locals we still know.
“In Hertfordshire, for example, nearly every other building in the high street was once a pub. But later the licensing laws became stricter.”
The Royal theme continues throughout the top ten with The Crown Inn, White Hart, Rose and Crown and King’s Arms all inspired by the UK’s rich history.
The Plough Inn sits at the bottom of the top 10 with 206 pubs.
Nik Antona, National Chairman for CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) said: "The array of weird and wonderful pub names are part of the charm and experience of frequenting your local.
“Pubs are part of the fabric of community life across the UK, providing a safe place to meet and socialise, offering a community hub for activities and events. As well as being vital to local economies, they help bring people together, tackling loneliness and social isolation.”
Most popular pub names by type
Eight of the top ten most popular pub names are inspired by royal connections. However, there is obviously a lot of overlap – for example, the classic Red Lion is both an animal and inspired by royalty.
Animal-themed pub names made up 34% of all names, with royalty accounting for 17.6%.
Position
Most popular name type
Total
1
Animal
2731
2
Royalty
1401
3
Machinery / Tools
723
4
Tree / Plant
698
5
Vehicle
690
6
Job
457
7
Location
400
8
Age
273
9
Space
239
10
History
182
11
Religious
81
12
Sport
49
13
Food
43
In third place was machinery and tools (9.1%) – largely down to pubs called The Plough, Cross Keys, and the Wheatsheaf. Nature (8.8%) inspired nearly 700 pub owners when choosing their names – drawing on both the rose and oaks. Again, these have royal connections, especially the rose.
Vehicles (8.7%) rounded out our top 5, with everything from pubs being located near railways to coastal pubs opting for ships and anchors in their names. However, these options are becoming less popular as Britain moves away from its seafaring and manufacturing peak.
If you’re looking to book a pub, use the ukphonebook.com business search function to find one near you and it’s most up-to-date contact details.
