Creative Naming
Constrained models name everything the same way: Taskly, SmartNotes, GetFlow, DataHub,
AI-Anything. Competent, forgettable, and usually already taken. This skill forces distinctive,
ownable names.
Step 1 — Extract the essence
One line each: what it does · who it's for · the feeling it should evoke · 5–10 seed words (the
domain, a metaphor, the benefit, the emotion). You name from the seeds, not from thin air.
Generate across SEVERAL techniques (don't stop at the first)
- Evocative metaphor — a concrete image that captures the feeling (Stripe, Glacier, Anchor).
- Coined / invented word — blend or alter roots into something ownable (Spotify, Zillow).
- Classical / mythological root — Latin/Greek for gravitas (Nike, Aegis, Lumen, Corvus).
- Borrowed foreign word — a fitting word from another language (Hulu, Miro, Audi).
- Oblique real word — an everyday word used unexpectedly (Apple, Slack, Notion, Arc).
- Portmanteau / juxtaposition — two ideas fused (Pinterest, Snowflake, Microsoft).
- Phonetics-first — short, punchy mouthfeel; plosives + open vowels read confident.
Generate 15–20, then cut. Quantity first, judgment second.
Evaluate the shortlist
- Memorable & pronounceable on first read? Spell-able after hearing it once?
- Distinctive in the space — not a near-clone of competitors?
- Ownable — no awkward acronym, no unfortunate substring, no bad meaning in another language?
- Extensible — works as a brand and product line, not just one feature?
- Mascot/visual potential — can it become a logo or character? (Strong brands often can.)
Availability — check BEFORE committing
- Domain:
.com first, then strong alternates. If a domains_check_availability /
domains_suggest tool is configured (e.g. the GoDaddy MCP), use it; otherwise check manually.
- Sanity-check social handles and run a trademark search in the relevant class.
Banned patterns — reject on sight
-ly / -ify suffixes · Smart- / AI- / Get- / e- prefixes · generic Hub / HQ /
Labs / Cloud tails · literal-descriptive compounds (TaskManagerPro) · anything you've
already proposed for a different product this session.
1---2name: creative-naming3description: Use when naming a product, app, feature, or company. Generates distinctive, memorable names and bans generic AI naming patterns (-ly/-ify, Smart-/AI-/Get-, generic Hub/Cloud tails). Includes evaluation criteria and availability checks.4---56# Creative Naming78Constrained models name everything the same way: `Taskly`, `SmartNotes`, `GetFlow`, `DataHub`,9`AI-Anything`. Competent, forgettable, and usually already taken. This skill forces distinctive,10ownable names.1112## Step 1 — Extract the essence13One line each: what it does · who it's for · the feeling it should evoke · 5–10 seed words (the14domain, a metaphor, the benefit, the emotion). You name from the seeds, not from thin air.1516## Generate across SEVERAL techniques (don't stop at the first)17- **Evocative metaphor** — a concrete image that captures the feeling (Stripe, Glacier, Anchor).18- **Coined / invented word** — blend or alter roots into something ownable (Spotify, Zillow).19- **Classical / mythological root** — Latin/Greek for gravitas (Nike, Aegis, Lumen, Corvus).20- **Borrowed foreign word** — a fitting word from another language (Hulu, Miro, Audi).21- **Oblique real word** — an everyday word used unexpectedly (Apple, Slack, Notion, Arc).22- **Portmanteau / juxtaposition** — two ideas fused (Pinterest, Snowflake, Microsoft).23- **Phonetics-first** — short, punchy mouthfeel; plosives + open vowels read confident.2425Generate **15–20**, then cut. Quantity first, judgment second.2627## Evaluate the shortlist28- Memorable & pronounceable on first read? Spell-able after hearing it once?29- Distinctive in the space — not a near-clone of competitors?30- Ownable — no awkward acronym, no unfortunate substring, no bad meaning in another language?31- Extensible — works as a brand and product line, not just one feature?32- Mascot/visual potential — can it become a logo or character? (Strong brands often can.)3334## Availability — check BEFORE committing35- Domain: `.com` first, then strong alternates. If a `domains_check_availability` /36 `domains_suggest` tool is configured (e.g. the GoDaddy MCP), use it; otherwise check manually.37- Sanity-check social handles and run a trademark search in the relevant class.3839## Banned patterns — reject on sight40`-ly` / `-ify` suffixes · `Smart-` / `AI-` / `Get-` / `e-` prefixes · generic `Hub` / `HQ` /41`Labs` / `Cloud` tails · literal-descriptive compounds (`TaskManagerPro`) · anything you've42already proposed for a different product this session.
stevenfackley