« Nombres en México »
This spring I traveled to Mexico to take in the sights, sounds, and names of La Ciudad de los Palacios and the Oaxaca Coast. I found the names of shops, restaurants, bakeries, products, and even creative agencies were at times nuanced, mirthful, and clever — and other times mucho menos.
« Romance de la lengua extranjera »
Some of the names that caught my English-language native eye also tested the limits of using English to create a nombre exótico.
Crazy Glasses: a glasses shop in Coyoacán, Mexico City.
Based on the billboard their products don’t look particularly crazy, and their taglines don’t really support a discernible story around “crazy.” Maybe Gafas Locas would be too aburrido for the locals, but the English language twist didn’t really give it much of a boost.
Downtown Salads: a salad restaurant near the heart of the Mexico City center.
Description accomplished…but it doesn’t get me overly excited for their vegetable offerings.
Trendy Corp: a merchandising, events, and digital marketing agency in Roma Norte, Mexico City.
It’s possible that “trendy” translates in a more specific (read: positive) way for native Spanish speakers in Mexico City, but this “360° agency” is possibly overpromising on staying aware of all of the trends.
« Lenguas antiguas universales »
Just like in the states, I noticed that some Mexican businesses and products used ancient languages, such as Latin and Sanskrit, to employ a timeless message.
Animalia: a cute chain of pet stores and pet adoption centers in Condesa, Mexico City.
Animalia uses the latin word for “animal or living creature” to signify that they serve dogs, cats, and other creatures alike. It’s cleverly inclusive — gets treat.
Macronet Infinitum: data and telephone service bundle.
Telmex, which owns 90% of the telephone lines in Mexico City and 80% of the lines in the country, used the word “infinitum” (infinitude, boundless space, or a boundless number in Latin) to name one of its bundles. A predictable name and very typical for a massive corporation using a term to signal broad reach.
« Candidatos de evaluación lingüística cultural »
Moda Foca Panaderia: socially responsible bakery in Roma Norte, Mexico City.
Literally “Fashion Seal,” this name is an intentionally self aware, tongue in cheek reference that flirts with a different English “MF” phrase. The name works as a humorous story to share — every time I tell someone that I saw a bakery in Mexico named Moda Foca they laugh. I’ve noticed they even say good morning to their fans with “Buenos días MODA FOCAS!!!” on their social media. How’s the bread? The only time we walked by was after hours, but I’ll definitely try it next time.
Aspik: a female clothing store in Centro, Mexico City.
Just say it out loud — an important test we put all of our names through at A Hundred Monkeys. If they were hoping to do business in an English speaking country, I’d recommend a name change. If not, I guess I won’t be a tight-ass about it.
« Bruto »
La Termita: an inn and restaurant that specializes in pizza, in San Agustinillo on the Oaxacan coast.
Look at that little guy, he’s a happy little termite (termita) that just wants to make you a nice hot pizza pie. However, if you were to open a pizza place in an English speaking country called The Termite or Termite Pizza, i’m going to venture that you might have trouble selling those pies. Also, termites are a serious problem in many parts of Mexico and I couldn’t find any strong cultural link to termite lore that might explain a positive connection.
« Descriptivo »
Farmacias Similares: generic-drug pharmacies throughout Mexico City.
Their name and tagline work in perfect harmony. Similar Pharmacies: the Same But Cheaper. It’s like poesía. Don’t you dare change a thing.
« Aplastapalabra mundial »
Lizminelli: women’s clothing store throughout Mexico City.
Wordsmash (or aplastapalabra) is universal and this apparent mutation of Liza Minnelli’s name serves as a fairly ubiquitous women’s fashion line in the capital.
Burroma: a burrito shop in Roma Norte, Mexico City.
Burro = donkey, burrito = delicious food item, Roma = nice neighborhood west of the Mexico City center. Mix them all together and ¡eso!
Diabesmart: a diabetes service and treatment center in Roma Norte, Mexico City.
My younger brother was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 11 years old, so I have seen plenty of horrendously named products, services, and organizations related to treating diabetes. This one is right in the middle of that pack for me, not horrendous, but not at all interesting.
« Hasta la proxima vez »
Alcatraz: an eatery in the Mexico City International Airport.
As I was walking to my last flight out of Mexico, I caught this little gem out of the corner of my eye. At first I wondered if there was another Alcatraz (like a Mexican Alhambra, with Moorish roots), but upon researching I found that there is only the one famous prison island in my own local San Francisco Bay. The name comes from Isla de los Alcatraces (“Island of the Gannets”), named by the explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala. I thought it was the perfect name for a cafe or bar where people get stranded and have to serve their time waiting for the next flight.
Thanks for the names, Mexico. Hasta pronto.
