naming

What this skill does

# Naming: Diagnostic Skill

You diagnose naming problems and guide the creation of names that work. Your role is to identify why names fail and what makes names succeed across brands, products, characters, places, and titles.

## Core Principle

**Names operate on multiple layers that must align.**

Every name communicates through sound, meaning, cultural resonance, and functional fit. When layers align, names feel inevitable. When they conflict, names feel wrong even if no one can articulate why.

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## The Naming States

### State N1: Doesn't "Feel Right"

**Symptoms:** Stakeholders reject names but can't say why. Gut reactions are negative despite meeting requirements. Something's "off."

**Key Questions:**
- Do the sounds match the intended emotional tone?
- Is there a meaning conflict between layers?
- Does it violate category expectations?

**Diagnostic Checklist:**
- [ ] Sound pattern matches desired attributes
- [ ] No unintended negative associations
- [ ] Pronunciation is intuitive
- [ ] Fits cultural context

**Interventions:**
- Analyze sound layer independently
- Check for hidden meaning conflicts
- Test with naive audience for associations

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### State N2: Names Don't Belong Together

**Symptoms:** Product family feels disjointed. Character names seem from different worlds. Place names lack cultural coherence.

**Key Questions:**
- Is there a consistent sound palette?
- Do syllable structures match?
- Is there a unifying pattern?

**Diagnostic Checklist:**
- [ ] Phoneme inventory defined (which sounds are "in")
- [ ] Syllable templates consistent
- [ ] Naming conventions documented
- [ ] Outliers identified

**Interventions:**
- Define phoneme inventory for this naming system
- Establish syllable templates (CV, CVC, CVCV, etc.)
- Create naming conventions document
- Regenerate names that don't fit

**Integration:** For character/place naming in fiction, use the **conlang skill** to generate consistent phonological systems.

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### State N3: Forgettable

**Symptoms:** People can't recall the name. It blends into category. No distinctive hook.

**Key Questions:**
- Is there a memorable sound pattern?
- Does it have a meaning anchor?
- Is it too similar to alternatives?

**Diagnostic Checklist:**
- [ ] Has distinctive sound feature
- [ ] Meaning hook exists (metaphor, unexpected reference)
- [ ] Differentiated from competitors
- [ ] Passes the "phone test" (easy to convey verbally)

**Interventions:**
- Add sound distinctiveness (unusual but pronounceable)
- Create meaning hook
- Test against alternatives for differentiation

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### State N4: Sends Wrong Signals

**Symptoms:** Audience interprets name differently than intended. Wrong category assumptions. Unintended associations.

**Key Questions:**
- What does this name sound like it should be?
- What category conventions is it following/breaking?
- Are there unfortunate associations?

**Diagnostic Checklist:**
- [ ] Sound patterns match intended category
- [ ] Cultural references understood by audience
- [ ] No negative meanings in target markets
- [ ] International check completed (if relevant)

**Interventions:**
- Audit category sound conventions
- Test with target audience
- Check cross-cultural meanings

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### State N5: Doesn't Work Practically

**Symptoms:** People misspell it. They mispronounce it. Domain unavailable. Hard to type.

**Key Questions:**
- Is spelling intuitive from pronunciation?
- Are there common mistypings?
- Does it work in all required contexts?

**Diagnostic Checklist:**
- [ ] Spelling matches pronunciation
- [ ] No typo-prone letter combinations
- [ ] Domain/handles available (if needed)
- [ ] Voice search recognizes it (if relevant)

**Interventions:**
- Test spelling from dictation
- Check typo patterns
- Verify availability
- Test voice recognition

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## The Four Layers

### Sound Layer

How it sounds and what sounds communicate.

#### Sound-Meaning Connections

| Sound Pattern | Association | Use For |
|--------------|-------------|---------|
| **Depth sounds** (ɑ, o, u, m, n) | Weight, seriousness, gravitas | Authority brands, serious characters |
| **Light sounds** (i, e, l, s) | Speed, precision, elegance | Tech, luxury, agile brands |
| **Power sounds** (k, t, p, x) | Strength, impact, decisiveness | Performance, action brands |
| **Flow sounds** (l, r, w) | Movement, continuity, grace | Movement, music, flow states |
| **Tech sounds** (x, z, -ix, -ex) | Modern, digital, technical | Tech products, futuristic contexts |

#### Phoneme Frequency

**High-frequency sounds** (feel natural, trustworthy):
- t, n, s, k, m, p, l, r, a, i, e, o, u

**Low-frequency sounds** (feel distinctive, exotic):
- x, z, q, zh, ü, ø, æ

**Principle:** Common sounds for accessibility; rare sounds for distinctiveness. Too many rare sounds = unpronounceable.

#### Syllable Structure

| Pattern | Feel | Example |
|---------|------|---------|
| CV | Open, flowing | "Sora", "Kano" |
| CVC | Solid, complete | "Mark", "Bond" |
| CVCV | Balanced, memorable | "Toyota", "Roku" |
| CCV | Dynamic, energetic | "Slack", "Stripe" |

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### Meaning Layer

| Type | Description | Example |
|------|-------------|---------|
| **Descriptive** | Says what it is | "General Motors" |
| **Metaphorical** | Implies qualities | "Amazon", "Apple" |
| **Abstract** | Coined, meaning assigned | "Kodak", "Xerox" |
| **Portmanteau** | Blended words | "Pinterest" |

**Best names** work on multiple levels—literal, metaphorical, and cultural.

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### Cultural Layer

#### Category Conventions

| Category | Convention |
|----------|------------|
| Luxury fashion | French/Italian sounds |
| Tech startups | Dropped vowels, -ly, -ify |
| Law firms | Partner surnames |
| Pharmaceuticals | X, Z, scientific suffixes |
| Fantasy | Apostrophes, unusual clusters |

**Strategic choice:** Follow conventions to signal belonging; break them to differentiate.

---

### Functional Layer

| Test | Pass Criterion |
|------|----------------|
| **Spelling** | Intuitive from pronunciation |
| **Pronunciation** | Intuitive from spelling |
| **Typing** | No awkward key combinations |
| **Search** | Returns relevant results |
| **Domain** | Available or acceptable variant |
| **Voice** | Voice search recognizes it |

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## Diagnostic Process

### 1. Identify the Problem State

When someone brings a naming problem:

- Vague rejection? → N1 (Doesn't Feel Right)
- Family feels disjointed? → N2 (Don't Belong Together)
- Nobody remembers it? → N3 (Forgettable)
- Wrong associations? → N4 (Wrong Signals)
- Practical issues? → N5 (Doesn't Work)

### 2. Analyze by Layer

For each layer, check alignment:

| Layer | Question |
|-------|----------|
| Sound | Do sounds match intended tone? |
| Meaning | Is meaning clear and positive? |
| Cultural | Does it fit context and audience? |
| Functional | Does it work in practice? |

### 3. Identify Conflicts

Problems often come from layer conflicts:
- Sound says "playful" but meaning says "serious"
- Cultural layer says "luxury" but functional layer has typos
- Meaning is great but sounds are harsh

### 4. Recommend Interventions

Based on identified state and conflicts.

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## Application Modes

### Brand/Product Names (Professional Process)

For software products, companies, and brands, use the **sequential phased process**. This produces significantly better results than combining phases.

**Critical:** Run phases in separate sessions. Complete each fully before proceeding.

| Phase | Goal | Output |
|-------|------|--------|
| 1. Discovery | Explore patterns without generating names | Pattern documentation |
| 2. Synthesis | Generate candidates from patterns | 50-100 raw candidates |
| 3. Evaluation | Filter through layer criteria | Ranked shortlist |
| 4. Validation | Verify against external reality | Validated finalists |
| 5. Documentation | Record decision and rationale | Naming package |

**Why sequential matters:**
- Discovery constrained by premature evaluation → medi