Can you guess what Mrs. Butterworth’s first name is?

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Since Mrs. Butterworth first arrived on the syrup scene in 1961, her first name has been kept a bit of a secret. But if you can guess just what that first name is, there might be something in it for you from the talking bottle herself.

‘Mrs. Butterworth has always had a first name, but it’s been passed down over the years to various managers and none of the adults around here thought to use it until an employee’s son asked what it was,’ said Allison Meyer, associate brand manager for syrups at Pinnacle Foods Group, the company that makes Mrs. Butterworth’s. ‘She only talks to kids, so it makes sense that a kid would finally be the one to ask what her first name is.’

Inspired by the boy’s question, the marketing department at Pinnacle Foods thought a guess-her-name contest would be a good way to reveal her name to the public, Meyer said. And to get a drizzle of promotion on top.

Submissions for the contest require a guess at her first name and an explanation as to why that name came to mind. The winning entry will be posted on www.mrsbutterworthsyrup.com and the winner will receive $500 and a year’s supply of Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup.

The contest runs through July 17 and a winner will be selected shortly thereafter. People of all ages, can enter the contest, but those under the age of 13 should submit an entry only with their parent’s permission. Entries can be submitted by mail or online.

A poll of The Times’ Business section hacks turned up names heavy on alliteration (Bettina, Betty, Betsy, Bertha, Beverly and Beatrice), age (Edna, Josephine, Abigail, Pearl, Gertrude, Daisy, Thelma and Nancy) and feeble attempts at humor (Maple, Margarine and Ralph).

—Nathan Olivarez-Giles