How we evaluated the name “NameClicked”: a naming case study
We judged “NameClicked” on the same criteria we use for any name. It's strong on relevance, memorability and room to grow, but it doesn't explain the whole service on its own and some people will write it as two words. We chose it because its trade-offs fit the product better than the alternatives.
By Phil Martin at Incyworks Ltd · Published · 8 min read
Why this matters
It would be odd to sell a naming tool without showing how we judged our own name. This isn't a story about a perfect name: there isn't one. It's an example of weighing a name's strengths, weaknesses and trade-offs against what it needs to do, using the same criteria we use for any name.
The naming problem
The name had to:
- relate clearly to naming;
- be memorable, easy to say and reasonably easy to spell;
- work for people naming products, apps, websites, services and startups, not just one of those;
- avoid boxing the product into name generation alone;
- leave room for evaluation, comparison and due diligence.
Meaning
The name has two parts. Name signals the subject at once. Clicked suggests recognition and fit: the moment a name feels right and makes sense. Together they describe the outcome people want rather than the mechanics of getting there, which is also our tagline: the moment your name clicks.
Clarity
Most people will guess that NameClicked is something to do with names. Few will guess from the name alone that it evaluates and checks names as well as suggesting them. That's a real gap, and it's why the site has to explain the service plainly, on the homepage and on what is NameClicked?
Memorability
The name holds a small idea, the moment something clicks, rather than describing a category. Ideas are easier to remember than descriptions, and two short, familiar words help.
Pronunciation
Someone hearing “NameClicked” can repeat it confidently: both words are common and said the way they're written.
Spelling
This is the main ambiguity: people may write NameClicked or Name Clicked. The web address settles where to go, and consistent use of one word with a capital C in the logo, the site and everything we write reduces the confusion over time.
Distinctiveness
Compare it with generic descriptions such as Product Name Generator, Startup Name Tool or Business Name Checker. Those say exactly what they are and blend into a crowded category. NameClicked is less descriptive, which costs some instant clarity but makes it easier to remember and stand apart. Because it starts with the category word “name”, it's only moderately distinctive, and that shows in our own scores below.
Flexibility
Because the name is about the moment a name fits, not about generating names, it still works as the product grows from ideas into evaluation, comparison, domain checks, trade mark screening and shortlist management.
What our own tool says
Here is NameClicked's free algorithmic assessment of its own name, generated by the same code that scores your names. The AI-judged criteria and the external checks aren't included here.
| Criterion | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Memorability | 84 | Compact (11 letters, 2 syllables), which helps it stick. |
| Spellability | 85 | Possible spelling ambiguity: 'k'/'q' could be spelled 'c'. |
| Pronunciation | 92 | Most people would say it the same way. |
| Distinctiveness | 63 | Uses category or brief words (name), which blends in. |
| Searchability | 85 | Unusual enough that search results should be relatively clear. |
| Unwanted meanings | 80 | No offensive words found by the basic check. |
| Apparent protectability | 50 | Partly descriptive. The distinctive element would carry most of any protection. Preliminary heuristic only, not a trademark search. |
It agrees with our judgement: strong on memorability, pronunciation and searchability; weaker on distinctiveness and apparent protectability, because “name” is a category word, so the distinctive weight sits on “Clicked”. See how NameClicked scores a name for what each criterion measures.
Potential weaknesses
- It doesn't explain the whole service immediately.
- “Clicked” has a strong digital association with clicking a mouse or a button.
- Some people will write it as two words at first.
- The brand has to establish what “clicked” means in the naming context.
- Starting with a category word makes it partly descriptive, which tends to weaken trade mark protection.
Being honest about these is part of the method: every shortlisted name has a list like this.
Practical checks
The practical checks follow the same order we recommend to everyone:
- Domain: we secured nameclicked.com, the exact .com, so people who remember the name can type it.
- Search results: searching the name, and the name with “naming”, to see whether an established business already uses it in this space.
- Social handles: looking for matching or near-matching handles on the platforms that matter.
- Business conflicts: checking the Companies House register (opens in a new tab) for similar company names.
- Trade marks: screening the UK trade mark register (opens in a new tab) in the relevant classes, then a professional clearance search before relying on the name.
Conclusion
A useful name isn't one that wins every criterion. It's one whose strengths, weaknesses and trade-offs fit the product better than the available alternatives. NameClicked is memorable, easy to say and has room to grow; it's less descriptive and less distinctive than it could be. For a product whose promise is the moment a name feels right, those were trade-offs worth making.
How NameClicked can help
You can run the same process on your own shortlist. Add your names to NameClicked to see their scores and reasons side by side, then use how to evaluate a product name, the product naming checklist and how to compare product names to decide.