As anyone familiar with franchising knows, the benefits of purchasing a franchise—as opposed to starting up a new company on your own—are innumerable; they include everything from ready-made business plans to financial assistance. But in a market inundated with businesses selling almost the exact same product, often everything comes down to advertising, having something about your company that makes it stand out from the pack in the consumer's mind. As far as this goes, one of the greatest assets a new franchisee can receive in his franchise packet is a recognizable name, and there are really two ways that a business name can make its way to a permanent and positive residence in a person's mind. It either has to be repeated until it sticks, or it has to be so novel—or perhaps downright outlandish—that no one could forget it if they wanted to.



Fortunately for those of us who love few things better than a good laugh, there are a handful of franchises available that indeed have that second kind of name—curious enough to draw both consumer attention and chuckles. Take a closer look at what we consider 5 of the most unique names in franchising and see if there isn't more substance to their silliness than you may have expected.

#5) Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffees & Smoothies

Unless you're Doctor Seuss, trying to get away with a rhyme that includes a made-up word is a brave move. Sporting the fifth funniest name on our site, this company is more than likely to stand out in the consumer's mind for two particularly odd reasons. First, as we said, the average business for sale is not courageous enough to try its hand at Seussian poetry, which ironically is a learning tactic proven to make memorization easier. But second, the average person doesn't immediately associate “Hawaiian” with “coffee” or “coffee” with “smoothie,” which leaves a big question mark hanging over the consumer's head, serving as brilliant marketing sure to draw him in.

#4) The Glove Lady

That enjoyably simple name is somewhat reminiscent of that old woman every neighborhood has: the cat lady. This rendition of that offbeat personality, though, has an abnormal attachment to gloves, which is twice as entertaining as cats. And that picture isn't too far from the truth. Women running this work from home business are serious about everything glove and safety equipment, and clients quickly realize that when the Glove Lady van comes rolling into town, it's all trustworthy business.

#3) 1-800-905-GEEK

Tape on the glasses, pocket protector, suspenders holding his pants up just under his armpits—the whole picture is painted in just that one word: GEEK. The most brilliant thing about the name of this work at home business, though, is that as laughable as that stereotype is, it does manage to produce a sense of trust in the consumer's mind. Think about it. Who do you want fixing your computer: a jock, a cheerleader, or a geek? What's more, their phone number is their name, so when Joe Schmoe's computer breaks down, he doesn't even have to visit a phonebook to call for help. If the rest of the business is half as intelligent as the name, you'd have to be a dumb jock to not give it some consideration.

#2) The Love Maine Lobster Claw

This is by far my favorite work from home business ever, and that is in part because the name is completely perplexing—it looks like five words picked at random and slammed together for lack of a better name. But when you learn what the business is, it all suddenly makes sense, and that is what makes it all so memorable. Imagine the claw game at an arcade (that glass box full of toys that you try and grab with a small crane). Now fill the glass box with water and drop in live lobsters instead of stuffed toys, and what you're imagining is precisely what these people sell. And though it sounds a little out there, the business actually works, some machines raking in $750 per week. Try and get that name out of your head now.

#1) Doody Calls

Even adults laugh at the word doody. And particularly when you're in the pet waste-management field, you really have to take yourself lightly. As straightforward and comical as they are about their job however, the business is entirely serious. With the number of dogs in America always increasing and the number of spare minutes that homeowners have to scoop poop always decreasing, the market is rife with opportunity for a business that isn't afraid to roll up its sleeves and grab a shovel, and that's just what this business is.

Any business that is willing to do something a little out of the ordinary to make themselves stand out deserves a great deal of respect. It's all too easy to scroll down a list of home based business opportunities, snicker a little at a unique name, and move on to something “more serious,” but don't do it. Give time and thought to even the businesses that may not be your first choice, because there is often a lot of thought that goes into names that may not look like it.