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For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Carlyle Bear Co.I often find myself wondering how a bear artist came up with a name for their company so I thought maybe I would start a thread (may have been done in the past) to ask! I know some use their name only (S. Reetz) as the artist and others (Furgotten Friends) have chosen extremely clever titles.
Even though mine is my last name I chose the Co. part because I always secretly wished I was part of the Carlyle and Co. jewelry store. :P
Sometimes I find myself wishing I would have come up with something a little sassier but for the most part I'm satisfied with what I have chosen.
Any second thoughts about your company name? Have you ever changed it?
Bear Hugs,
Lisa
TC Folk OriginalsWhen I was working, everyone called me TC instead of Thelma. When I would take a bear in to show the people at work, they called them TC Bears. However, I make dolls as well and didn't want to limit the name, so my husband suggested TC Folk.
The Littlest ThistleMy first bear from my own pattern is my avatar bear, Spike, and he kind of reminded me of a Thistle with the colouring. My mind then wandered around the idea of a family of Thistles, who would, of course, come from the Thistle Patch. My mind then shot of somewhere into the stratosphere (it does this a lot) and I decided I would be the Littlest Thistle. Bet you're sorry you asked now 
Mine was going to be Sunday Bears as I only used to make them on a Sunday. I wasn't that happy with it but didn't like any of the other suggestions. My husband, who was being a smart Alec, said...' what time on a Sunday' when I said that was why I picked that name and The Three O'clock Bears popped into my head because I used to start after lunch at about 3 o'clock. Now it's often 3 in the morning!
South AustraliaI don't sell any of my bears yet but if i do I would call myself Tatty Bears like my user name because after trying my hand at different styles if teddys ive decided that's the kind of bears I like to make 
Newcastle, OntarioFor years I just used my own name, "Brenda Power, Miniature Artist"' but when I started selling on Ebay, I needed a user name, so I decided on Duffyantiques (Duffy was our first cat and I love antiques). Eventually I started making larger bears and other people started referring to me as Duffyantiques, when they emailed me and it just stuck. No real thought went into it, it just happened.
Plum Cottage BearsWhen I was a supplier and book dealer as well as an artist, I used the business name Sierra Meadows Bears. The supply and book business is over. I used the name Angelbearies for my bears until I found out it had been for some time someone's user name on Ebay. I had to change the bear business name, and the name of Plum Cottage Bears just sort of popped into my head. I like to think of teddy bears having tea in a cozy little cottage.
(was) The 4 Claws CompanyBack when I made teddys I came up with "The 4 Claws Company" because they have 4 limbs & 4 senses: site , hear, taste & smell , of course there is 4 seasons. All of my bears had 4 claws also.
GJOYful BearsFor us, GJOYful Bears has many meanings. There are a few of our family members whose names are Joy or who have Joy in their name, and the name means a lot to us. That, combined with the fact we want our bears to bring Joy to their new owners, began the main part of our name - JOYful Bears. My name is Gabriele Joy, and adding the "G" to the business name really made it stand out plus I used to use the name GJOYful when presenting puppet shows (something I used to do).
So, GJOYful Bears it is!
Our business name is pronounced "Gee Joyful Bears" by the way
My name came about from the Brimbin Forest nature reserve which is almost my back yard The area is significant to the local Biripi people. The name "Brimbin" is an Aboriginal word derived from "Borembit" or stringybark, a tree species common in the reserve.
FenBeary FolkI spent ages try to find a name that went with my surname Pemblington but it's so long and the shortened version didn't seem (pem) quite right. I then played with my first name..................so common, ten a penny LOLOL (Sue) Eventually I turned to my location (the fens) and had a eureka moment at 4am on the loo LOLOLOL
I have wondered a few times if it was a mistake as I get multiple variations 
bingle bearsMy business name comes from our silly dog, Bingley. When he's rather due for a haircut he looks like a little bear, hence he was nicknamed our Bingle Bear. It seemed natural to name my bear-making business (which gives me much joy) after our little guy who brings such joy to our family and seems to be the embodiment of joy and the love of life. For me, it was an apt reminder of why I make bears.
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)About 40 years ago, when I opened my first business as a stained glass art studio, I wanted a name that would cover what I was doing, plus anything I decided to do in the future. My training is as a cosmetologist and at the time I also had about 125 ppl whose hair I was cutting here at home.
Creative Design Studio was a non-specific title which seemed to cover those and sound fresh and new (cutting edge!) enough for me to be able to use on anything in the future and it's worked out well, for garden design, custom knitting, bears..etc.
I could also use it as 'my name - RKR 4 CDS, my DH for CDS, when I employed a friend/neighbor during the busy pre-holiday season - her name for CDS.... I always thought that gave it that little extra 'touch'. like one designer working for a major design house.. almost a sort of - DKNY.
The logo and branding on my print mediums have changed a little over the years as they have had to to reflect the different business interests but it has served me well and I'm happy now I chose it!
I love reading the stories!
When I was starting out, I came up with three possible company names and tried them out on friends and family members (one other possible name was Beck's Bears from my name, and one I don't remember). As I said the names, I'd mostly get a polite "mm-hmmm" as a reaction, but when I said "Dangerbears", everyone laughed or asked why, or in some other way indicated to me that it was a name they might remember. And to me, it's just funny - a play on the idea of bears being dangerous, which in juxtaposition with my sweet teddy bears, seems downright silly. 
Becky
This is a fun topic. I toyed with the idea of putting my name in my business name but learned of other Beth's Bears and then again it sounded too mundane for me.
so I knew I had to come up with something more fun. I have frequently called my dog Wookie a pirate. I took a photo of him when he was just a pup wearing a pirate hat and eye patch next to a treasue chest so he is forever more my sweet puppy pirate. Anyway the pirate theme comes into my bear making as I have always had the desire to make my Wookie Pirate pup in mohair. And wanting to use a piratey theme in my name I thought of scaliwags. Taking it one step further I decided my creations were scaliwagers. Then after thinking even more I figured I could enhance it more by breaking the word down, capitolized each part of the word and added another r for ScaliWagGrrs. Thus we have Scali which can be for scaley creatures such as dragons even though it isn't pronounced the same, Wag for wagging tails and Grrs for growlers such as bears.
Beth
My daughter chose mine when I started to sell and quickly needed a name, so it wasn't thought out properly, it was taken half from my surname and half from the street whrere I live and put together, silly really coz we are hoping to move house soon. I would have liked a better name but the longer you use it people get to know you and so then feel reluctant to change but I wish it was a different one. 
Pauline x
Carlyle Bear Co.I Love reading these! I especially like the names that have come from family pets since they are so close to our hearts! I wish I would have thought to incorporate my dogs names into it somehow. 
This is so much fun because when I read posts I always wonder "ooh, how did she choose that name, I like that!". Now I know a few.
My story is pretty simple. I used to breed Dachshunds. At the time I lived on a small rural dirt road that wasn't named. The county government needed to name all the roads for the 911 system(this was back in the 80's) and asked for suggestions from the residents. I submitted several with dog themes and they decided on Dog Patch. For all the youngsters that don't remember, and those not in the US, Dog Patch was where the comic strip character Lil Abner lived. In the 80's I was making muslin bunnies, velour dogs and bears, and calico cats. I sold them at craft shows and Dog Patch Critters seemed to fit. It still seems to fit as I still make all kinds of critters, just in mostly mohair now.
