It's fun naming hedge funds. Think of an animal or river or Greek god and just run with it.
But for Alan Ware, finding the right name has become increasingly difficult. He eventually decided on Pike Place Capital Management, named after a prominent farmers' market in Seattle, the city where Ware was born, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
"It was harder than naming my children," said, Ware, a father of two.
That was three years ago, before thousands more people set out to start hedge funds, private investment partnerships for rich individuals and institutions.
Now, with more than 8,000 hedge funds worldwide--twice as many as five years ago, managers are in a virtual traffic jam trying to find the right name.
"It's nearly impossible to find a name that isn't taken," Peter McTeague, who recently left his job as chief strategist at
Power to the Mighty
The logjam is particularly great among names that convey something soaring, mighty, fast or majestic. Much of the most impressive flora and fauna has been snapped up for hedge-fund names, including Blue Spruce, Aspen and Lone Pine (which, by the by, has also has registered Lone Spruce and Lone Oak). Unicorn, Pegasus, Orca and even Ursus (Latin for bear) ,have also been snatched up.
"I call this the 'yuck' work of trying to start a hedge fund," says McTeague. "Every time you think you have the right name, you find out is it taken."
The staff of Money Management Executive ("MME") has prepared these capsule summaries based on reports published by the news sources to which they are attributed. Those news sources are not associated with MME, and have not prepared, sponsored, endorsed, or approved these summaries.
