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What's in a name?

Pub names often come up in bar debates. What is the most popular name and how many are there? Some names are from the Pubs history. A "Railway Hotel" was opened to cater for Railway passengers or in many cases for the workers who were laying rail line. A "Royal Mail" was a staging post for Cobb and Co in the late 1800's.

Some Pubs were named after British nobility, a local landmark or event like a coronation or federation. In the case of the "Hotel Radnor" in Blackbutt, Qld, the Pub was named after the owners dog, run over by a truck outside the Pub in 1935. Golden is the most used colour and the lion is the most popular animal. Whatever the name, many travelers just call the local "a home away from home"

Names and Numbers

2002 so these numbers would have already changed.

Most popular Pub Name. Naming the Pub after the town.

* means first part of name

Royal (not including combinations) 244
Commercial- 139
Railway- 82
Grand- 73
Exchange- 42
Victoria- 39
Crown- 36
Imperial- 34
Star- 34
Club- 33
Princes*- 32
Central- 29
Federal- 28
Australian- 28
Junction- 25
Golden*- 23
National- 19
Union- 19
Empire- 18
Dukes*- 17
Palace- 16
Post Office- 16ce
Caledonian- 13
Gladstone- 12
Blue*- 11
Bridge- 11
Metropolitan- 9
Commonwealth- 8
Criterion- 8
Globe- 8
Tourist- 8
Great Northern- 7
Courthouse- 7
Southern- 7
Freemason- 6
British- 6
Bellevue- 5
Grand Central- 5
Britannia- 4
Excelsior- 4
Phoenix - 4

Princes that get a Mention
e.g. "Prince Albert"

Prince of Wales, Albert, Alfred, Patrick, Edward "Black Prince"

Dukes that get a run
e.g. "Duke of York"

York, Brunswick, Wellington, Edinborough, Kent, Cornwall, Gloucester, and just "the Duke" in St Kilda

Golden* Pubs

Fleece(5) Age(4), Grain(3), Barley, Dog, Eagle, Gate, Trout, Sheaf, Spurs, West, Bosun, Square, Vine

Blue* Pubs

A popular colour for animals
Ducks, Geese, Heelers, Boars, Cows and Bricks

34 Pubs have "Irish" in their name

64 Pubs have "Pub" in their name (half are Irish Pubs)

Special mention: The "Bull and Mouth" in Maryborough, and Horsham Victoria.

Hotel Radnor, Blackbutt Queensland. 
Named after an unfortunate event.
Hotel Radnor, Blackbutt Queensland.
Named after an unfortunate event.

Golden Grain Hotel - Pinaroo SA
Golden Grain Hotel - Pinaroo SA