Product Naming

SKILL.md

---
name: Product Naming
description: Test product names and listing titles for TikTok Shop conversion potential before going live by scoring hook strength, search fit, and compliance risk.
---

# Product Naming

Test product names and listing titles for TikTok Shop conversion potential before going live by scoring hook strength, search fit, and compliance risk. This skill evaluates candidate names against a multi-factor scoring framework and prescribes the optimal name with a clear rationale — reducing the guesswork that costs brands rankings and ad spend.

## Quick Reference

| Decision | Strong | Acceptable | Weak |
|----------|--------|------------|------|
| Hook strength | Creates immediate curiosity or desire in 3 sec | Clear benefit, moderate appeal | Neutral or descriptive only |
| Search fit | Matches top 3 organic search queries exactly | Matches with 1–2 word overlap | No match to search queries |
| Character count (TikTok visible) | 28–34 chars (fills visible field) | 20–28 chars | <20 or >34 (truncated) |
| Compliance risk | Zero flags across all applicable rules | 1 low-risk flag, easily resolved | 1+ high-risk flag |
| Brand fit | Consistent with brand voice + differentiated | Consistent with brand voice | Generic, indistinguishable |
| Memorability | Unique hook phrase buyers recall and search for | Descriptive but clear | Forgettable |
| Emotional trigger | Joy, aspiration, or relief clearly evoked | Mild positive emotion | Neutral, no emotion |

## Solves

1. **Low click-through from search results** — Product name doesn't match what buyers are actually searching; keyword-weak names are invisible in organic browse
2. **Weak hook in TikTok feed** — TikTok shows 34 characters before truncation; names that lead with the brand or category instead of the hook lose the scroll stop
3. **Compliance rejection** — Names with health claims, superlatives ("best", "#1"), or prohibited terms get flagged or suppressed on TikTok and Amazon before launch
4. **Me-too naming** — Generic names ("Vitamin C Serum 20%") make price the only differentiator; a distinctive name creates recall and search brand equity
5. **International naming conflicts** — Names that work in English may have negative connotations or be trademarked in target export markets
6. **Creator confusion** — Names that are hard to pronounce or remember reduce word-of-mouth and UGC generation; creators skip products they can't reference naturally
7. **Rebranding cost** — A name change after launch costs rankings, reviews, and creator content alignment; getting it right pre-launch saves significant resources

## Workflow

### Step 1 — Gather Inputs
Collect:
- Product type, key feature, and primary benefit
- Target platform(s): TikTok Shop, Amazon, Shopify, or multi-platform
- Target market (US, UK, SEA, CN, AU — naming conventions vary)
- Brand name (for inclusion or exclusion in the product name)
- Top 3–5 competitor product names
- Any name candidates already under consideration (to score and compare)
- Brand voice: fun/playful vs. clinical/professional vs. premium/luxury

### Step 2 — Define the Search Intent Profile

Identify the exact phrases buyers use when they search for this type of product:
- What is the primary use case? ("I want to ___")
- What is the primary problem being solved? ("My skin is ___", "My house is ___")
- What modifier do buyers add for confidence? ("for sensitive skin", "professional grade", "travel size")

These three elements form the keyword skeleton the product name must accommodate.

### Step 3 — Score Candidate Names

Run each candidate name through the scoring matrix:

| Criterion | Weight | Score (1–5) | Weighted score |
|-----------|--------|-------------|----------------|
| Hook strength (scroll-stop appeal) | 25% | | |
| Search fit (keyword match) | 25% | | |
| Compliance risk (inverted — 5 = clean) | 20% | | |
| Character efficiency (TikTok 34-char budget) | 15% | | |
| Memorability / distinctiveness | 10% | | |
| Brand voice fit | 5% | | |
| **Total** | 100% | | |

Minimum passing score: 3.5 / 5.0 weighted average
Recommended score before launch: 4.0+

### Step 4 — Generate Alternative Names (if needed)
Use these generative frameworks:

| Framework | Formula | Example |
|-----------|---------|---------|
| **Outcome-first** | [Desired result] + [Product type] | "Glow Boost Vitamin C Serum" |
| **Problem-solver** | [Problem] + [Fix] | "Frizz Tamer Hair Oil" |
| **Ingredient hero** | [Key ingredient] + [Function] | "Niacinamide Pore Minimizer" |
| **Experience** | [Sensory/emotional hook] + [Type] | "Cloud Sleep Eye Mask" |
| **Specificity** | [Precise claim] + [Category] | "72-Hour Hold Setting Spray" |
| **Audience tag** | [Who it's for] + [What it does] | "Sensitive Skin SPF 50 Daily Fluid" |

Generate 3–5 alternatives using different frameworks, then score each.

### Step 5 — Compliance Screen

Run each finalist name through this compliance checklist:

**TikTok Shop compliance:**
- No "best", "top", "#1", "world's", "only" (superlatives — policy violation)
- No health claims: "cures", "treats", "eliminates [medical condition]"
- No before/after language in name (reserved for image compliance)
- No competitor brand names

**Amazon compliance:**
- Same superlative rules as TikTok
- No price or promotional language ("Free shipping", "Discount")
- No HTML or special characters

**General compliance:**
- Trademark search: confirm name not registered by a competitor in target markets (check USPTO, EUIPO, WIPO)
- No cultural insensitivity in target language (run by native speaker if exporting)
- No claims requiring regulatory approval (FDA, TGA, Health Canada) not yet obtained

### Step 6 — Deliver Recommendation
Output format (see output template):
- Recommended name with rationale
- Score breakdown vs. runner-up candidates
- Full-length title (255 chars for TikTok search index)
- Visible display name (34 chars for TikTok feed)
- Platform adaptation (if multi-platform — Amazon title version, Shopify version)

## Examples

### Example 1 — Vitamin C Serum (TikTok Shop, Beauty)

**Candidate names scored:**

| Name | Hook | Search fit | Compliance | Chars | Memorability | Brand fit | **Total** |
|------|------|-----------|-----------|-------|-------------|----------|---------|
| Vitamin C Serum 20% | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3.15 |
| Glow Boost Vitamin C Serum | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | **4.15** ✅ |
| Brightening Vitamin C + HA Serum | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.45 |
| Skin Glass Serum | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3.85 |

**Recommendation:** "Glow Boost Vitamin C Serum"

**Rationale:**
- "Glow Boost" is the scroll-stopping hook — emotionally resonant, not clinical
- "Vitamin C Serum" matches the primary search query exactly
- 26 characters — leaves room for size/variant in the 34-char visible window
- Compliant on all platforms
- Memorable and repeatable in creator content ("the Glow Boost serum")

**TikTok visible title (34 chars):** "Glow Boost Vit C Serum 30ml"
**TikTok full title (255 chars):** "Glow Boost Vitamin C Serum 20% with Hyaluronic Acid — Brightening Dark Spot Treatment for Face 30ml"

---

### Example 2 — Air Purifier (Amazon + TikTok, Home)

**Competing candidate names:**
- "HEPA Air Purifier for Large Rooms" — Search-strong but no hook
- "PureAir 500 HEPA Purifier" — Brand-model naming; cold to new buyers
- "Quiet HEPA Air Purifier 500sqft" — Strong functional hook; works on both platforms

**Recommendation:** "Quiet HEPA Air Purifier 500sqft" (Amazon title) / "Silent Room Purifier HEPA" (TikTok feed)

**Rationale:** "Quiet" is the top customer complaint about competitor purifiers — naming the product after the solved pain point pre-empts objections and matches long-tail searches ("quiet air purifier for bedroom").

## Common Mistakes

1. **Leading with the brand name in the TikTok visible field** — TikTok buyers discover via scroll, not brand loyalty; lead with the hook, not "BrandName — Product"
2. **Using ingredient names buyers don't know** — "Bakuchiol Facial Oil" requires buyers to know what bakuchiol is; "Natural Retinol Alternative Oil" explains itself in the same space
3. **Naming for the product, not the buyer's goal** — "Collagen Peptides Powder" vs. "Skin & Joint Collagen" — the second speaks to why the buyer wants it
4. **Ignoring the 34-character TikTok display limit** — Names beyond 34 chars are truncated in feed; the truncation point becomes the de-facto product name for scrollers
5. **Not checking trademark availability** — Naming a product something already trademarked in the market creates legal risk and forces an expensive rebrand
6. **Using buzzword terms that date quickly** — "Biohacking", "quantum", "nano-" — trendy terms lose credibility fast and may age the product negatively
7. **Sacrificing search fit for creativity** — A highly creative name with no keyword match gets zero organic search traffic; balance hook with search intent
8. **Single-market naming for a multi-market product** — A name that works in English may be difficult to pronounce, meaningless, or offensive in another language

## Resources

- [Name Scoring Matrix](references/name-scoring-matrix.md)
- [Platform Title Formats](references/platform-title-formats.md)
- [Output Template](references/output-template.md)
- [Product Naming Checklist](assets/naming-checklist.md)