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Startup name generator

16 name ideas with rationale and a quick domain check.

How to use it

  1. Describe the product. One or two sentences on what it does and who it is for. Add a few keywords if you want the names to draw on them.
  2. Pick a style. Short, compound, invented, real-word or playful. Each style gives a different kind of name, so try more than one.
  3. Check domains. Run up to 12 suggested domains through a registry lookup to see which ones look unregistered.
  4. Shortlist and test. Say your top three out loud, search them, and check trademarks before you buy anything.

What makes a startup name work

A good name is easy to say, easy to spell after hearing it once, and does not get confused with a company people already know. It does not have to describe the product. Slack, Notion and Linear say little about what they do, and they work because they are short and distinct. Descriptive names like "InvoiceBuilder" are easier to understand on day one but harder to own in search and harder to trademark.

The five styles, and when to use each

  • Short. One word, four to seven letters. The hardest to find with a free .com, the easiest to remember.
  • Compound. Two real words joined, like Dropbox or Mailchimp. Clear and often available, but watch for awkward letter collisions where the words meet.
  • Invented. New words that sound real, like Vercel or Zapier. Best for trademarks and domains, but you have to teach people what it means.
  • Real word. An existing word used in a new context. Memorable, usually expensive as a .com.
  • Playful. Friendly and a little unexpected. Fits consumer apps better than enterprise software.

Testing a shortlist

  1. The phone test. Say the name to someone and ask them to type it. If they misspell it, so will everyone else.
  2. The search test. Search the name plus your category. If another product in your space owns the results, pick again.
  3. The domain test. A .com is still the default people type, but .io, .ai and .app are normal for software. A short name on .app beats a long one on .com.
  4. The trademark test. Search your country's trademark office (USPTO in the US, EUIPO in the EU) for the name in your class of goods.

About the domain check

The availability check reads public registry records (RDAP) and falls back to DNS. When no registration record exists, the name is marked "likely available". That is a strong hint, not a guarantee: premium names, reserved names and domains in their grace period after expiring can all look free. Always confirm at a registrar.

Once you have a name, write a line for it with the tagline generator and plan the week you ship with the launch checklist.

What you get

  • 16 names per run across five naming styles
  • A one-line reason for every name
  • Suggested .com, .io, .ai or .app domain
  • Registry-based availability check for up to 12 domains
  • No signup

Questions

How do I check if a startup name is available?

Check three things: the domain (use the domain check here, then confirm at a registrar), trademarks in your country's trademark database for your product class, and the social handles you plan to use. A name is only available if all three are clear enough for your plans.

Should my startup have a .com domain?

It helps, because people type .com by default, but it is no longer required for software. Many successful products launched on .io, .ai or .app and bought the .com later. A short, clear name on another extension is better than a long or awkward .com.

Is the domain availability check accurate?

It is a heuristic. A missing registry record usually means a domain is unregistered, but premium, reserved and recently expired domains can show as available. Treat "likely available" as a reason to check at a registrar, not as a guarantee.

Can I use these names for free?

Yes. The names are suggestions with no strings attached. You are responsible for checking that a name is not already trademarked or in use in your market before you adopt it.