How to compare product names
Compare product names side by side against the same criteria, such as clarity, memorability, ease of saying and spelling, distinctiveness, flexibility and availability. Decide first which criteria matter most for your product, rule out any name with a serious problem, then choose between the rest.
By Phil Martin at Incyworks Ltd · Published · 7 min read
Why this matters
Judged on its own, every name looks flawed. Put next to the alternatives, the trade-offs become clear: one name is more memorable but harder to spell, another is easy to own but says less. Comparing names side by side, on the same criteria, is how you turn a shortlist into a decision you can explain to a co-founder, a client or yourself in six months' time.
1. Agree the criteria before you look at the names
Pick the criteria first, so you don't choose the ones that favour the name you already like. A good starting set is the one below; see how to evaluate a product name for what each one means.
| Criterion | Name A | Name B | Name C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarity | |||
| Memorability | |||
| Easy to say | |||
| Easy to spell | |||
| Distinctiveness | |||
| Flexibility | |||
| Availability |
Score each cell from 1 to 5, or simply mark strong, fine or weak.
2. Decide what matters most for this product
Not every criterion has equal weight, and the right weights depend on the product:
- A consumer app that spreads by word of mouth needs to be easy to say and spell.
- A product with a long future roadmap needs flexibility.
- A crowded category needs distinctiveness above almost everything.
- Availability is different: it's closer to pass or fail than a score.
Mark your two or three most important criteria before you fill in the table.
3. Rule out names with a serious problem
Some problems shouldn't be averaged away: a conflicting trade mark in your classes, an offensive meaning, or a name that sounds almost identical to a competitor. Any of these removes a name, however well it scores elsewhere.
4. Compare the rest on what matters
Look across each row rather than adding up totals. If one name is clearly ahead on your most important criteria and fine on the rest, that's usually your answer. If it's close, test the finalists with real people; see how to test a product name.
Worked example
Three illustrative names for a team scheduling tool, where the founders decided distinctiveness and spelling matter most:
| Criterion | ShiftPlan | Rotalo | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarity | Strong | Fine | Fine |
| Memorability | Weak | Strong | Strong |
| Easy to spell | Strong | Fine | Strong |
| Distinctiveness | Weak | Strong | Weak |
| Availability | Crowded | Looks clear | Crowded |
ShiftPlan is the clearest but blends in. Cadence is a lovely word that many products already use. Rotalo is less obvious but wins on the criteria this team cares about, so it goes forward to testing and a proper trade mark search. These names are examples only; we haven't checked them.
Common mistakes
- Adding up scores without weighting, so a trivial criterion outweighs an important one.
- Letting a serious problem be averaged away by strong scores elsewhere.
- Comparing names you haven't checked, then losing the winner to an availability search.
- Comparing too many names at once; three to five is plenty.
Checklist
- Criteria agreed before looking at the names.
- Two or three most important criteria marked.
- Names with a serious problem removed.
- Remaining names compared row by row, not just by total.
- Close calls settled by testing with real people.
How NameClicked can help
NameClicked scores every name on your shortlist against the same criteria, shows the reasons, and caps the score when it finds a serious problem, so you can compare names side by side. Add your names, or read how NameClicked scores a name to see the criteria and weights it uses.