/product-naming — Expert Naming Process
Structured naming process based on David Placek's methodology (Lexicon Branding — created names for Sonos, Pentium, Blackberry, Swiffer).
When to Use
- User says "name this", "brainstorm names", "naming process"
- Naming a new product, feature, company, or project
- Evaluating existing name candidates
Process
Step 1: Identify — Define the Brand Essence
If $ARGUMENTS provides a product or feature description, use it as the starting point. Ask the user to define (or help them articulate):
- What is it? (1 sentence describing the thing to be named)
- Core attributes (3-5 adjectives that describe the ideal brand feeling)
- Target audience (who will use/hear this name most)
- Competitive context (what other names exist in this space)
- Constraints (domain availability needed? character limit? language considerations?)
Step 2: Invent — Generate Name Candidates
Generate 50+ name candidates across these categories:
Descriptive — Names that say what it is
- Functional descriptors (YouTube, Netflix, Dropbox)
- Compound words (Facebook, WordPress, Snapchat)
Metaphorical — Names that evoke a feeling or concept
- Nature metaphors (Amazon, Apple, Sierra)
- Action metaphors (Sprint, Dash, Vercel)
- Quality metaphors (Zendesk, Clarity, Notion)
Abstract — Names that are evocative but not literal
- Sound-symbolic (Sonos, Zoom, Slack)
- Portmanteaus (Pinterest = Pin + Interest, Spotify)
- Modified words (Lyft, Flickr, Tumblr)
Invented — Completely new words
- Phonetic constructions (Kodak, Xerox, Hulu)
- Latin/Greek roots (Astra, Vero, Luma)
- Generated strings (ASML, Nvidia)
Present candidates organized by category. Aim for quantity — curation comes next.
Step 3: Evaluate — Score and Rank
Score the top 15-20 candidates on these criteria (1-5 scale):
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Memorability | High | Easy to recall after hearing once |
| Pronounceability | High | Obvious pronunciation, works spoken aloud |
| Distinctiveness | High | Stands out from competitors |
| Meaning/Evocation | Medium | Conveys the right feeling or concept |
| Domain/Handle | Medium | .com or reasonable alternative available |
| Scalability | Low | Won't constrain future product expansion |
Use AskUserQuestion to have the user react to the top candidates:
- Which names do you gravitate toward?
- Which feel wrong? Why?
- Any you'd like to combine or riff on?
Step 4: Present — Final Recommendation
Present top 5-10 names with:
- The name
- Category (descriptive/metaphorical/abstract/invented)
- Why it works (connects back to brand essence)
- Potential concerns
- Domain availability (check via WebSearch if requested)
See references/placek-methodology.md for deeper methodology notes.
Output
Present recommendations inline in conversation. Optionally save to a file if the user requests.
Next Steps
- Happy with the name? Document it in the PRD
- Need to formalize the product? →
/product-prd