What’s in Starbucks’ name?

With 15,000 stores in 50 countries, Starbucks is one of the biggest coffee retailers in the world. Many of us have wandered down our local high street and seen the green mermaid and entered that ‘third space’ located between work and home, either to take an extended break with a cup of coffee in hand or simply to grab a cup before heading onwards to our eventual destination. In just over three decades in existence the store has become a brand and has expanded from just one shop in the historic Seattle Pike Place Market to a true global entity.

The company took its eventual name from the character of Starbuck who is a primary protagonist of the literary masterpiece by Herman Melville; Moby Dick. 

The character of Starbuck is a native of New England Quaker whose religion plays a key role in his thoughts and actions throughout the narrative. At times, he is the voice of reason speaking against the monomaniacal motives of Captain Ahab initially privately, and then when the time calls for it, publically. A family-man at heart; Starbuck longs for nothing more than to be to return back to his family and once again experience those warm home comforts. His friends, and fellow mates on board the oceanic vessel, were philosophical in nature something which is in keeping of the historic associations of coffee patrons who engaged in intellectual discourse. Combined with the ‘third space’ ideal ideology that interprets the coffee house as a welcoming area positioned between the two diametrically opposite entities of ‘work’ and ‘home’, the name is quite apt positioning the Starbucks brand and environment as an inviting place for people to kick back, relax and spend an afternoon chatting amongst friends.

However, Howard Schultz recounts in his book, Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time, that the chain could have been initially named ‘Pequod’ after the doomed vessel of that fateful fictional voyage. Thankfully, as Schultz notes, the idea was shot down with then-creative partner Terry Heckler responding to the idea with a resounding ‘no!’

With hindsight, it was probably for the best as symbolic interpretations do not read well: The Nantucket whaler is, at the time of the novel, a patchwork ship, comprised of replacement parts merged together after years of damage and is described as a ‘cannibal of a craft’ by one of the characters. Given that the vessel also reflects the composition and tendencies of Captain Ahab, it certainly is not befit of a huge multinational corporation that wants to provide welcoming surroundings

The famous logo of Starbucks as well has a nautical link. The green woman depicted in the emblem is not a mermaid as commonly thought, but in fact it is modelled on the dreadful Sirens of Greek mythology. These mythical feminine incarnations would lure sailors from their ships to join them on seemingly idyllic paradises before, ultimately, devouring them in a savage manner.

Thankfully though the Starbucks Siren simply draws us in and offers rewards of a piping hot mug and comfortable surroundings with the only price entrants have to pay is the cost of a cup of coffee.