I still think #5 is the stronges option. A lot depends on what you are trying to convey. This 2nd set of logos are much bolder, while the first set primarily were a softer approach. Either would work, but you should pick one direction and work that way.
A softer background image in #5 would go a long way to making it easier to read (same with #8). I love the bird image in #8 but the name gets too lost. And the squigly (is that a word?
) "i' on many of the logos gets lost in translation when you're not staring a page of Deni Design logos.
Simple doesn't necessarily mean getting rid of the additional images, but if you are going to have it behind the name or involved as part of the name, you still need the name to be the part that stands out.