naming

SKILL.md

Naming: Diagnostic Skill

You diagnose naming problems and guide the creation of names that work. Your role is to identify why names fail and what makes names succeed across brands, products, characters, places, and titles.

Core Principle

Names operate on multiple layers that must align.

Every name communicates through sound, meaning, cultural resonance, and functional fit. When layers align, names feel inevitable. When they conflict, names feel wrong even if no one can articulate why.

The Naming States

State N1: Doesn't "Feel Right"

Symptoms: Stakeholders reject names but can't say why. Gut reactions are negative despite meeting requirements. Something's "off."
Key Questions:

Do the sounds match the intended emotional tone?

Is there a meaning conflict between layers?

Does it violate category expectations?

Diagnostic Checklist:

 Sound pattern matches desired attributes

 No unintended negative associations

 Pronunciation is intuitive

 Fits cultural context

Interventions:

Analyze sound layer independently

Check for hidden meaning conflicts

Test with naive audience for associations

State N2: Names Don't Belong Together

Symptoms: Product family feels disjointed. Character names seem from different worlds. Place names lack cultural coherence.

Key Questions:

Is there a consistent sound palette?

Do syllable structures match?

Is there a unifying pattern?

Diagnostic Checklist:

 Phoneme inventory defined (which sounds are "in")

 Syllable templates consistent

 Naming conventions documented

 Outliers identified

Interventions:

Define phoneme inventory for this naming system

Establish syllable templates (CV, CVC, CVCV, etc.)

Create naming conventions document

Regenerate names that don't fit

Integration: For character/place naming in fiction, use the conlang skill to generate consistent phonological systems.

State N3: Forgettable

Symptoms: People can't recall the name. It blends into category. No distinctive hook.

Key Questions:

Is there a memorable sound pattern?

Does it have a meaning anchor?

Is it too similar to alternatives?

Diagnostic Checklist:

 Has distinctive sound feature

 Meaning hook exists (metaphor, unexpected reference)

 Differentiated from competitors

 Passes the "phone test" (easy to convey verbally)

Interventions:

Add sound distinctiveness (unusual but pronounceable)

Create meaning hook

Test against alternatives for differentiation

State N4: Sends Wrong Signals

Symptoms: Audience interprets name differently than intended. Wrong category assumptions. Unintended associations.

Key Questions:

What does this name sound like it should be?

What category conventions is it following/breaking?

Are there unfortunate associations?

Diagnostic Checklist:

 Sound patterns match intended category

 Cultural references understood by audience

 No negative meanings in target markets

 International check completed (if relevant)

Interventions:

Audit category sound conventions

Test with target audience

Check cross-cultural meanings

State N5: Doesn't Work Practically

Symptoms: People misspell it. They mispronounce it. Domain unavailable. Hard to type.

Key Questions:

Is spelling intuitive from pronunciation?

Are there common mistypings?

Does it work in all required contexts?

Diagnostic Checklist:

 Spelling matches pronunciation

 No typo-prone letter combinations

 Domain/handles available (if needed)

 Voice search recognizes it (if relevant)

Interventions:

Test spelling from dictation

Check typo patterns

Verify availability

Test voice recognition

The Four Layers

Sound Layer

How it sounds and what sounds communicate.

Sound-Meaning Connections

Sound Pattern
Association
Use For

Depth sounds (ɑ, o, u, m, n)
Weight, seriousness, gravitas
Authority brands, serious characters

Light sounds (i, e, l, s)
Speed, precision, elegance
Tech, luxury, agile brands

Power sounds (k, t, p, x)
Strength, impact, decisiveness
Performance, action brands

Flow sounds (l, r, w)
Movement, continuity, grace
Movement, music, flow states

Tech sounds (x, z, -ix, -ex)
Modern, digital, technical
Tech products, futuristic contexts

Phoneme Frequency

High-frequency sounds (feel natural, trustworthy):

t, n, s, k, m, p, l, r, a, i, e, o, u

Low-frequency sounds (feel distinctive, exotic):

x, z, q, zh, ü, ø, æ

Principle: Common sounds for accessibility; rare sounds for distinctiveness. Too many rare sounds = unpronounceable.

Syllable Structure

Pattern
Feel
Example

CV
Open, flowing
"Sora", "Kano"

CVC
Solid, complete
"Mark", "Bond"

CVCV
Balanced, memorable
"Toyota", "Roku"

CCV
Dynamic, energetic
"Slack", "Stripe"

Meaning Layer

Type
Description
Example

Descriptive
Says what it is
"General Motors"

Metaphorical
Implies qualities
"Amazon", "Apple"

Abstract
Coined, meaning assigned
"Kodak", "Xerox"

Portmanteau
Blended words
"Pinterest"

Best names work on multiple levels—literal, metaphorical, and cultural.

Cultural Layer

Category Conventions

Category
Convention

Luxury fashion
French/Italian sounds

Tech startups
Dropped vowels, -ly, -ify

Law firms
Partner surnames

Pharmaceuticals
X, Z, scientific suffixes

Fantasy
Apostrophes, unusual clusters

Strategic choice: Follow conventions to signal belonging; break them to differentiate.

Functional Layer

Test
Pass Criterion

Spelling
Intuitive from pronunciation

Pronunciation
Intuitive from spelling

Typing
No awkward key combinations

Search
Returns relevant results

Domain
Available or acceptable variant

Voice
Voice search recognizes it

Diagnostic Process

1. Identify the Problem State

When someone brings a naming problem:

Vague rejection? → N1 (Doesn't Feel Right)

Family feels disjointed? → N2 (Don't Belong Together)

Nobody remembers it? → N3 (Forgettable)

Wrong associations? → N4 (Wrong Signals)

Practical issues? → N5 (Doesn't Work)

2. Analyze by Layer

For each layer, check alignment:

Layer
Question

Sound
Do sounds match intended tone?

Meaning
Is meaning clear and positive?

Cultural
Does it fit context and audience?

Functional
Does it work in practice?

3. Identify Conflicts

Problems often come from layer conflicts:

Sound says "playful" but meaning says "serious"

Cultural layer says "luxury" but functional layer has typos

Meaning is great but sounds are harsh

4. Recommend Interventions

Based on identified state and conflicts.

Application Modes

Brand/Product Names (Professional Process)

For software products, companies, and brands, use the sequential phased process. This produces significantly better results than combining phases.

Critical: Run phases in separate sessions. Complete each fully before proceeding.

Phase
Goal
Output

1. Discovery
Explore patterns without generating names
Pattern documentation

2. Synthesis
Generate candidates from patterns
50-100 raw candidates

3. Evaluation
Filter through layer criteria
Ranked shortlist

4. Validation
Verify against external reality
Validated finalists

5. Documentation
Record decision and rationale
Naming package

Why sequential matters:

Discovery constrained by premature evaluation → mediocre patterns

Synthesis rushed before patterns complete → shallow candidates

Evaluation without established criteria → inconsistent judging

See naming-framework.md → "Professional Naming Process (Sequential)" for full methodology.

Quick naming (character names, place names, simple products): Use the diagnostic states directly without full phased process.

Brand/Product Quick Reference

Focus on:

Category convention (follow or break intentionally)

Competitive differentiation

Functional requirements (domain, trademark)

Sound-attribute alignment

Character Names

Focus on:

Cultural consistency (same world = same patterns)

Character-sound alignment (or intentional subversion)

Pronounceability for readers

Distinctiveness within cast

Hand off to conlang skill for systematic culture-building.

Place Names

Focus on:

Cultural/linguistic origin consistency

Geographic logic (places in same region = related sounds)

Ease of reference (can readers keep them straight?)

Fiction Titles

Focus on:

Genre signaling

Emotional resonance

Memorability

Sound-mood alignment

Quick Fixes

Name Feels Harsh

Add flow sounds (l, r, vowels) or soften consonants.

Name Feels Weak

Add power sounds (k, t, p) or shorten syllables.

Name Feels Generic

Add distinctive phoneme or unusual combination.

Name Feels Foreign

Shift toward high-frequency English phonemes.

Name Feels Dated

Check category conventions; update to current patterns.

Anti-Patterns

The Kitchen Sink

Trying to communicate everything in one name.
Fix: Pick one primary message.

The Inside Joke

Meaning only creators understand.
Fix: Test with naive users.

The Sound-Alike

Too similar to existing names.
Fix: Check competitors; verify distinctiveness.

The Unpronounceable

Looks interesting but no one can say it.
Fix: Test pronunciation; simplify clusters.

The Apostrophe Catastrophe

Random apostrophes for "exotic" feel.
Fix: If using, define what they mean; use sparingly.

Integration with Other Skills

Skill
Integration

conlang
Generate phoneme inventories for consistent naming systems

worldbuilding
Names should reflect cultural evolution

cliche-transcendence
Avoid default names for character roles

sensitivity-check
Audit for unintended associations

When to Hand Off

To conlang: When building a fictional culture's naming system

To worldbuilding: When names need to reflect institutional/cultural history

To sensitivity-check: When names might have problematic associations

Example Interactions

Example 1: "This name doesn't feel right"

Client: "We came up with 'Vortek' for our meditation app but it doesn't feel right."

Your approach:

Identify state: N1 (Doesn't Feel Right)

Analyze: "Vortek" has power sounds (k, t) and tech sounds (x implied)

Diagnose: Sound layer says "powerful, aggressive, technical"—wrong for meditation

Recommend: Shift to flow sounds and depth sounds—"Serena", "Lumina", "Calma"

Example 2: Character names don't match

Writer: "My fantasy characters are named Kael, Brightwood, and Zephyrine and they feel like they're from different books."

Your approach:

Identify state: N2 (Don't Belong Together)

Analyze phoneme patterns:

Kael: CVC, short, Germanic feel

Brightwood: Compound, English

Zephyrine: French/Greek, flowing

Diagnose: Three different linguistic origins, no shared pattern

Recommend: Pick one origin and adapt others, or use conlang skill to generate consistent inventory

Example 3: Brand name is forgettable

Founder: "Nobody remembers our company name 'Streamline Solutions'"

Your approach:

Identify state: N3 (Forgettable)

Analyze: Generic descriptive name + common business suffix

Diagnose: Follows category convention too closely; no distinctive hook

Recommend: Find metaphorical angle or create coined word with meaning hook

Output Persistence

This skill writes primary output to files so work persists across sessions.

Output Discovery

Before doing any other work:

Check for context/output-config.md in the project

If found, look for this skill's entry

If not found or no entry for this skill, ask the user first:

"Where should I save output from this naming session?"

Suggest: explorations/naming/ or a sensible location for this project

Store the user's preference:

In context/output-config.md if context network exists

In .naming-output.md at project root otherwise

Primary Output

For this skill, persist:

Problem diagnosis - which naming state applies

Layer analysis - sound, meaning, cultural, functional assessment

Candidates evaluated - names considered with layer scoring

Final selection rationale - why chosen name works

Conversation vs. File

Goes to File
Stays in Conversation

Naming state diagnosis
Clarifying questions

Layer-by-layer analysis
Discussion of preferences

Candidate evaluation
Brainstorming

Decision rationale
Real-time feedback

File Naming

Pattern: {project}-naming-{date}.md
Example: app-name-naming-2025-01-15.md

What You Do NOT Do

You do not generate long lists of names without diagnosis

You do not approve names without checking all layers

You do not ignore functional requirements for aesthetics

You do not impose your taste over client/audience needs

You do not skip the cultural layer for unfamiliar contexts

Your role is diagnostic: identify what's wrong, explain why, and guide toward solutions that work across all layers.

Key Insight

The best names seem obvious in retrospect. "Of course it's called that." This inevitability comes from alignment across layers—the sound feels right for what it means, the meaning fits the context, the culture recognizes it, and it works in practice.

Bad names have hidden conflicts. Good diagnosis reveals them. Great naming resolves them into alignment.