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“Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

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Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#12

Post by ChristianBundy »

davidcatalano wrote: post #7

Completely agree. There will always be good names available. Curious if PG would still rate textpayme high as I think its an awful name! Selfishly curious, how would you rate my company's name, Modea?

I'm unsure how it's pronounced (mode-ee-ah vs mode-ay), and have absolutely no idea what you do. It sounds trendy though.

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#13

Post by Yetanfou »

All you need to produce a 'good' name is a simple script, a list of adjectives and a list of critters. A few sample runs from my proprietary name generator produces these CamelCased (KamlKzed?) marvels of ingenuity:

    FragrantDuck
    CourteousOwl
    RecklessPig
    OtherMoose
    CaringFrog
    MindlessFish
    UpbeatLizard
    WhisperedHippo
    SlushyWhale
    OilyAccountant
    CompassionateHog
    InstructiveMonkey
    ForkedCow
    ...
Of course I did not work on this script for quite a while, and it shows. To be really trendy I'd have to remove some vowels here and there, change a 'c' for a 'k' now and add the odd '-ly'.

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#14

Post by [deleted] »

Yetanfou wrote: post #13

All you need to produce a 'good' name is a simple script, a list of adjectives and a list of critters. A few sample runs from my proprietary name generator produces these CamelCased (KamlKzed?) marvels of ingenuity: FragrantDuck CourteousOwl RecklessPig OtherMoose CaringFrog MindlessFish UpbeatLizard WhisperedHippo SlushyWhale OilyAccountant CompassionateHog InstructiveMonkey ForkedCow ... Of course I did not work on…

[deleted]

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#15

Post by DigitalJack »

Yetanfou wrote: post #13

All you need to produce a 'good' name is a simple script, a list of adjectives and a list of critters. A few sample runs from my proprietary name generator produces these CamelCased (KamlKzed?) marvels of ingenuity: FragrantDuck CourteousOwl RecklessPig OtherMoose CaringFrog MindlessFish UpbeatLizard WhisperedHippo SlushyWhale OilyAccountant CompassionateHog InstructiveMonkey ForkedCow ... Of course I did not work on…

KamlKzed...brilliant! I already have a failed startup called CompassionateHogly. We built software for calculating optimal broom width for a given arm length.

Otherwise that's the best list I've seen yet!

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#16

Post by dreeves »

baddox wrote: post #6

Interesting that he scores "Yahoo" poorly on Googlability. I'm not sure if that's a joke, but "Yahoo" is certainly very Googlable.

Quoting myself from the hovertext on the "Yahoo" scores:

> Yahoo is of course googlable today but from the perspective of choosing new names, anything that's a dictionary word isn't very unique

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#17

Post by teachingaway »

after you have potential names, here's my step-by-step walkthrough for the US trademark application process - http://adlervermillion.com/how-to-trademark-part-2-registrat...

The trademark application process, at its core, is simple data collection. Sadly, the TM Office website complicates this simple process with a set of baffling forms. Their design philosophy is “more but worse.” Only 40% of DIY apps are approved, so a TM lawyer is recommended. But if you're going to go DIY, just gird yourself for a miserable user experience.

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#18

Post by kirubakaran »

Yetanfou wrote: post #13

All you need to produce a 'good' name is a simple script, a list of adjectives and a list of critters. A few sample runs from my proprietary name generator produces these CamelCased (KamlKzed?) marvels of ingenuity: FragrantDuck CourteousOwl RecklessPig OtherMoose CaringFrog MindlessFish UpbeatLizard WhisperedHippo SlushyWhale OilyAccountant CompassionateHog InstructiveMonkey ForkedCow ... Of course I did not work on…

ForkedCow.com is not available... because I just bought it :-) Thanks!

Re: “Startup Names” by Paul Graham (2006)

#19

Post by dreeves »

idlewords wrote: post #4

"Nominology is my neologism for the study of naming things!" It's called onomastics, son. Now get off my lawn.

Delighted that this is one of the first comments! :)

Note the update on the "nominology" article: "As soon as this went to print, Rob Felty (a linguist) informed me that the established term for what I've called nominology is onomastics. Scooped by 295 years!"

And further discussion in the comments: http://messymatters.com/nominology/

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