AN ELECTRICIAN who has been advised to change his company’s name because of associations with a terrorist group says he won’t ditch “a strong local brand”.

Chris Carey, who runs Kidlington-based Isis Electrical, also plans to carry on wearing a jumper with “Isis” on it.

Mr Carey said: “When we go to people’s houses they take the Mickey a bit and say ‘Are you going to blow us up?’ but it’s just a bit of humour.”

Mr Carey, who started his business two and a half years ago, said a business coach has tried to persuade him to change the name.

He said: “We’ve been around longer than some Middle East terrorist organisation.

“I like the branding and such that goes with it.

“I’ve worked for it and what it stands for and don’t feel anyone should give an inch over things like this.”

The name Isis is used to describe the stretch of the River Thames which runs through Oxford, north of Iffley Lock and is believed to come from the Latin, Tamesis.

Media coverage of atrocities committed by Jihadists – formally known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), now Islamic State (IS) has made some nervous about using it.

Estate agent Rowan Waller, who changed his firm’s name to avoid association with the terrorist group, believes he made the right decision.

He jettisoned the Isis branding after just eight days of trading and says clients have since admitted they were wary of having boards with the word in front of their homes.

Mr Waller, of Cutteslowe, who now trades under the brand Wallers of Oxford, believes he may have lost up to £20,000 in potential sales.

He said: “Your house is such a public statement, so having a sales board outside that’s emblazoned with the word ‘Isis’ was quite a big thing.”The former Chancellors branch manager launched his firm as Isis estate agents on September 1 last year but decided against the name on September 8, before relaunching on September 25.

Since rebranding, his agency has sold 34 properties in nine months and he aims to take on its first employee early next year.

The managing director of Isis Creative Framing in Northampton Road said he has no intention of changing his company’s name.

John Brooks said: “It is an unfortunate coincidence but it depends whether you call the terrorist group Isis or Isil or Islamic State.

“It has made a few people chuckle but it has had not detrimental effect on us.”