Pub names in Great Britain

Pub names in Great Britain identify traditional drinking establishments. Many pubs are centuries old, from a time when most customers were illiterate but could recognise pub signs or symbolic objects, such as a boot hung outside. Names may be for anything from everyday items to sovereigns and landowners, often represented through coats of arms. Some reflect historic events, occupations, sports, and craftsmen' guilds. Others are rooted in myths and legends, such as the Green Man or local stories like the Moonrakers of Wiltshire.

Names may straightforwardly describe their building or the services offered in addition to serving beer. Several refer to stages in growing barley and in brewing or transporting beer, such as John Barleycorn, the Hop Pole, the Malt Shovel, the Mash Tun, and the Three Barrels. Establishments that served wine might use names like the Spread Eagle, indicating the coat of arms of Germany. Sporting associations appear in names such as the Hare and Hounds or the Bowling Green. Some pub names are literary, referring to books such as Uncle Tom's Cabin or The Hobbit, fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes, or authors including Edgar Wallace.

Many old pubs are named for famous figures or ordinary trades. Several have names intended to be humorous, including the names used by some pub chains. Among the most common pub names are the Red Lion, the Royal Oak, the Crown, and the Swan. Closed pubs are marked †.