Product Naming

Product Naming Methodology

Based on David Placek's Lexicon Branding approach—the firm behind Vercel, Swiffer, Sonos, Azure, BlackBerry, Pentium, and Windsurf.

Core Principles

1. Invent, Never Describe

Descriptive names are forgettable. Invented names signal innovation and are easier to own.

• Bad: "FormFiller", "QuickSign", "DocAssist" (literal, forgettable)
• Good: "Vercel" (evokes versatile + accelerate + excel without stating what it does)

2. Combine Word Stems Meaningfully

The best names draw from multiple word roots, creating rich associations:

• Vercel: versatile + accelerate + excel
• Swiffer: swift + efficient (with playful "-er" suffix)
• Pentium: penta (five) + -ium (element suffix, signals substance)

Target names that can be "extrapolated to many different meanings"—this gives the brand room to grow.

3. Design for the Ear First

Consider phonetic flow and sound symbolism before settling on spelling.

Sound Symbolism Research (Lexicon's findings):

• V = vibrant, alive, dynamic (Vercel, Viagra, Corvette)
• B = reliable, stable, trustworthy (BlackBerry)
• Z = attention-grabbing, distinctive (Azure)
• X = innovative, cutting-edge
• Soft endings (-i, -a) = light, approachable (Dasani)
• Hard consonants (K, T) = strong, decisive

Avoid:

• Awkward consonant clusters (e.g., "fl" sound in "FormFlow")
• Hard-to-pronounce combinations
• Names that sound different than they're spelled

4. Avoid These Patterns

Tired suffixes:

• "-AI" or "-GPT" (dated, overused, signals follower not innovator)
• "-ly" (Grammarly era, feels 2015)
• "-ify" (Spotify era, feels 2010)

Literal descriptions:

• Avoid naming what it does ("FormFiller", "AutoDoc")
• The name should create an impression, not explain functionality

Compound words that telegraph function:

• "QuickBooks" worked in 1992; the bar is higher now

The Process

Phase 1: Identify (The Diamond Framework)

Before generating names, answer these strategic questions:

        WIN
    (What does winning look like?)
         △
        /│\
       / │ \
HAVE ◀──┼──▶ NEED
(What do   (What do
we have?)   we need?)
       \ │ /
        \│/
         ▽
        SAY
    (What do we need to say?)

Define:

• What winning looks like for this brand
• What assets/positioning you already have
• What's missing that you need to acquire
• What the name needs to communicate

Phase 2: Invent (Volume Generation)

Generate at least 500-1000 candidate names before narrowing.

Techniques:

1. Word stem combinations: Blend roots from Latin, Greek, English
2. Sound-first approach: What phonetic impression do you want? Start there
3. Cross-domain inspiration: What would this product be called if it were a bike? A song? A place?
4. Competitive contrast: What sounds are competitors NOT using?

Three-Team Method (Lexicon's approach):

• Team A: Knows the real brief
• Team B: Thinks they're naming a competitor
• Team C: Works on an unrelated category entirely

The best names often come from Team C—unconstrained by the problem.

Phase 3: Implement (Testing & Refinement)

Good signs:

• Name causes debate/polarization (strong names provoke reaction)
• Easy to spell after hearing once
• Works across cultures (no negative meanings)
• Domain available or acquirable

Test by asking:

• Can you imagine this on a billboard?
• Does it pass the "radio test" (clear when spoken)?
• Does it have room to grow beyond current product?

Phase 4: Domain Availability Check

After narrowing to top candidates, check domain availability.

Process:

1. For each finalist name, check availability across TLDs (.com, .io, .ai, .co, .app)
2. Use the user's preferred registrars if configured (see config.local.md)
3. Note pricing—premium domains may cost more but signal the name is desirable
4. Consider alternative spellings only if they don't compromise the name's integrity

Domain checking tools:

• Use whois command for basic availability
• Check registrar APIs or websites for pricing
• If user has config.local.md, respect their registrar preferences and budget

See references/domain-checking.md for detailed instructions.

Example Analysis: "Vercel"

Why it works:

• V opening = vibrant, dynamic (sound symbolism)
• Evokes: versatile, accelerate, excel, vertical
• Doesn't describe what it does (deployment platform)
• Easy to spell after hearing
• Short, punchy, professional
• Room to grow beyond original product

When Reviewing Name Candidates

Ask:

1. Is it easy to say? (Test: "fl", "thr", awkward clusters = red flag)
2. Does it describe the product literally? (If yes, reject)
3. Does it use tired suffixes like "-AI"? (If yes, reject)
4. Can it be extrapolated to multiple meanings?
5. What does it sound like phonetically? (Design for the ear)
6. Does it cause a reaction? (Polarization is good)