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Luminescent <i>N</i>-heterocyclic carbene chloride copper (I) complexes incorporating pyrene chromophore (1-Pyrenyl-NHC-R)-Cu-Cl, (<b>3</b>, <b>4</b>) have been prepared and fully characterized. Two complexes were prepared with R = methyl (<b>3</b>) and R = naphthyl groups (<b>4</b>) at the nitrogen center of the carbene unit to tune their electronic properties. The molecular structures of <b>3</b> and <b>4</b> have been elucidated by X-ray diffraction and confirm the formation of the target compounds. Preliminary results reveal that all compounds including the imidazole-pyrenyl ligand <b>1</b> are emissive in the blue region at room temperature in solution and in solid-state. All complexes display quantum yields comparable or higher when compared to the parent pyrene molecule. Interestingly replacement of the methyl by naphthyl group increases the quantum yield by almost two-folds. These compounds might show promise for applications as optical displays.