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Notes on naming a startup.
How startup names are made: the kinds of names, the checks before you pick one, and what we learn building a naming agent.
AI business name generators compared (2026): which one to use
No single generator is best. Compare Namelix, Looka, Atom, NameStation, BrandCrowd and deepmarks by what you get, domain checks and price.
11 min read · naming · comparisons
Brand archetypes: the 12 brand personalities, and how to choose yours
The 12 brand archetypes explained, with examples, a 10-minute exercise to find yours, how to blend two or three, and what the choice does to a name.
12 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality · guides
How your brand's personality shapes its name: one brief, two personalities
We named the same startup twice, once as a Ruler and once as a Jester. The names, why they differ, and what the personality changes in a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · naming · guides
Primary, secondary, third: how to blend brand archetypes
Most brands blend two or three archetypes. Why the order matters, which blends work, and a real test of the same three archetypes in two orders.
5 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality · guides
The Caregiver brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Caregiver is the caring, dependable brand that looks after people. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Creator brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Creator is the imaginative brand that helps people make things. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Everyman brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Everyman is the friendly, down-to-earth brand made for everyone. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Explorer brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Explorer is the adventurous brand that promises freedom. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Hero brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Hero is the brave brand that helps people rise to a challenge. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Innocent brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Innocent is the honest brand that makes life feel lighter. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Jester brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Jester is the funny, playful brand that makes everything more fun. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Lover brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Lover is the passionate brand that makes people feel desired. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
5 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Magician brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Magician is the visionary brand that makes hard things easy. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Outlaw brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Outlaw is the rebellious brand that breaks the rules worth breaking. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Ruler brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Ruler is the confident brand that stands for control and the best. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The Sage brand archetype: meaning, examples and names
The Sage is the wise, thoughtful brand that helps people understand. What its customers need, brands that play it, how it sounds and what it does to a name.
4 min read · brand archetypes · brand personality
The six kinds of startup names, and when each one fits
Descriptive, evocative, invented, lexical, acronymic and geographical names, with famous examples, the trap in each, and how to choose between them.
4 min read · naming · guides