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Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

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21–30 of 52 posts

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#21
I had tipr.net for a while. I think tipr.com was some italian trading platform.

I just kept thinking about it. It is a iterative process. I like flow of consciousness. Two short words together work. Tipping, giving, paying, happy, support, joyful, micro (all all other SI prefixes)...

Shortest words there: tip pay joy

tipjoy.com was available and I immediately purchased it.

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#22
"There are only two hard things in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things" - Phil Karlton

For, http://www.mobtropolis.com, it came out of the concept of collectively finding interesting things to do that were out of the norm. If they were doing it all at the same time and place, it would be likened to a mob. I figured this sort of thing would only happen in more urban areas with denser concentration of people. Hence after a short brainstorming session..."Mobs in the City" became "Mobtropolis".

I hesitated for a while since it's a 4 syllable word, and people might not remember it. But since I couldn't find anything better, I just went with it.

After a while, a name just grows on you and others, as long as you're consistent about it. It also helps you when you're pitching it if you don't feel stupid saying it. I would imagine del.icio.us wasn't exactly easy to associate with bookmarking, but as long as people consistently associate a name with a clear idea of what your product is, I think it'll be ok.

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#23
I did a domain hack using .us, but i would say you could also use an action word plus your product name. 37Signals does it for most of their apps, backpackit.com, campfirenow.com also the vitamin web resource thinkvitamin.com. The trick is to create something memorable for people. I also try to make its easy for people to say over the phone to someone. Take slashdot.org, if the app is for normal people a name like that is not the greatest.

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#24
post #9

Domain availability. Think of a two/three word description for what your app is, see if it's available. Go to the thesaurus and look up alternates. http://instantdomainsearch.com/ roxx

or ajaxwhois.com (not quite as fast, but does more than com/net/org for delicious-type names)

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#26

I did a domain hack using .us, but i would say you could also use an action word plus your product name. 37Signals does it for most of their apps, backpackit.com, campfirenow.com also the vitamin web resource thinkvitamin.com. The trick is to create something memorable for people. I also try to make its easy for people to say over the phone to someone. Take slashdot.org, if the app is for normal people a name like th…

Your slashdot.org thing reminded me of this list: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/27MichaelWard.html

Email addresses it would be really annoying to give out over the phone.

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#27
If you know your target market (and you should), and you have direct access to them, propose possible names to them and get feedback, while at the same time soliciting them for more name ideas.

We struggled with ours for a while. We had several possibilities that we liked, and started telling people we'd meet at conferences and whatnot. When we talked to them again days later, they would always remember one more than the others. We had several clever names with nice flow and alliteration, but RateMyStudentRental.com is what everyone always remembered (though for us, this is most likely due to the already-existing and popular ratemyprofessors.com).

Re: Ask YC: How did you choose a name for your startup?

#28
Think about what your application's supposed to do - what are its benefits for users, then come up with some metaphors for that. Should be terms that give people a general concept of what it is that you're offering. Then use the various domain search engines mentioned here until you find a free domain. BTW, make sure you can get the .com, .net, .org, and that all the rest (.biz, .us, .eu) are free. Once you're certain you have a name you'll stay with, register a trademark ASAP.
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