Naming is hard because the good obvious names are taken and the clever ones are hard to spell. AI is a strong brainstorming partner here: it can produce a hundred directions in a minute, and you only need one.
The trick is giving it constraints, then checking the shortlist properly before you fall in love.
How to use it
- Describe the business, the customers and the feeling you want, and list names you already like or hate.
- Ask for several naming styles, then shortlist five.
- Say the shortlist out loud, on the phone, to a few customers. If people mishear or misspell it, drop it.
naming.txt
Help me name [a new business / a service / a product]. What it is: [description] Customers: [who] Feeling we want: [e.g. trustworthy, modern, local, premium, friendly] Names I like (any industry) and why: [list] Names I dislike and why: [list] Must avoid: [e.g. hard spellings, words that do not translate to French, "solutions"] Give me: 1. 40 name ideas in 5 styles: descriptive, invented, metaphor, local/place-inspired, founder/personal. Mark your top 3 in each style. 2. For the top 10: why it works, how it might be misheard or misspelled, and a likely domain to check (.ca / .com). 3. 10 taglines (under 7 words) that pair with the top names. Keep names easy to say on the phone and spell from hearing. Do not claim any name is available; I will check.
Check before you commit
- Domain: search your registrar for the .ca and .com.
- Trademark: search the Canadian Trademarks Database (and the US one if you sell there).
- Business registry: check your province's registry for the same or a similar name.
- Social handles on the platforms you will use.
- Google it: make sure the name is not already strongly linked to something else.
AI cannot confirm a name is available or legally safe. Do the checks above, and talk to a trademark professional for anything you will invest in heavily.