Go Figure: Angels Edge Chickens Newest Trend In Corporate Names Reflects Shift In Business Types

Cyber Cigars are apparently a lot more popular than Panda Spas.

At least, that’s what could be construed from data released last week by CDB Infotek.

The public records information service company culled the records of the 52,150 companies that incorporated in California last year and concluded that the hottest names for new companies include the words: Internet, virtual, zone, nutrition, inner, angels, millennium, consulting, cyber and cigar.

What’s out? Escrow, video, construction, environmental, condominiums, townhome, bug, spas, chicken, concerned, panda and backhoe have disappeared as the decade has worn on.

“The results show the electronic age has hit the world of commerce,” said spokesman John Karevoll. “Some declines reflect the slowdown in construction. I don’t know what to make of things like the decline of chicken.”

Except for “company,” “corporation” and “enterprise,” the most commonly used word was “international” in 2,839 incorporations, or better than 5 percent. Names following those were: services, USA, systems and medical.

“Construction” was seventh with 861 uses, down 17.6 percent from 1990, followed by “development” with 829, off 16.2 percent from 1990. Other big declines include “association” and “homeowners,” which slid from 612 to 252.

Words posting gains include: net, telecom, dental, digital, silicon, interactive, charitable and solution. Words used in 1997 that weren’t even in 1990 filings include: wireless (75), online (49), multimedia (40), web (39), solution (25), com (22), behavioral (20), animation (18), effects (18) and adventure (15).