New data from ukphonebook.com has revealed the changes in pub names in the UK over the past three years, as well as a list of the most popular names.
The analysis of the 4 million businesses in the database found that The Red Lion was the most popular of all pub names – with 517 registered since 2020. Royal Oak came in second with 472 pubs, followed by Crown (Inn) with 446.
The data also revealed a number of trends in the last three years. Royal British Legion dropped out of the top 10, possibly due to a reduced presence of the institute itself, while Victoria themed pub names saw an increase in popularity – rising from 43rd most popular to 9th. Animal themed names also rose 6.5%, with Royal themed names seeing a 7.7% increase.
Kevan Wilding, founder of Pubwiki, commented: “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.”
Nik Antona, National Chairman for CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) added: “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.”
The Red Lion is the most popular pub name in the UK, with 468 pubs taking this classic name. Royal Oak came in second with 433 pubs, followed by Royal British Legion with 335.
The analysis from ukphonebook.com also showed that the inclusion of ‘Inn’ as part of a pub’s name is becoming less popular, with only 16% of new pubs including this in their name in the past three years.
To find out more about pub names in the UK, or to find one near you, visit ukphonebook.com.
