Generate and evaluate brand names for a project
Generate and evaluate brand names for your project using a multi-stage funnel: brainstorm candidates, check domain availability, screen for conflicts, assess persona perception, and rank finalists with scores.
/plugin marketplace add MaxGhenis/brandval/plugin install namecast@namecast<description> [ideas: name1, name2, ...]Parse the user input to extract:
This is a multi-stage funnel that efficiently narrows candidates:
Brainstorm (15-20) → Quick Filter (~8-10) → [User checkpoint]
→ Conflict Check (~4-6) → Deep Evaluation → Final Ranking (Top 3)
Generate 15-20 brand name candidates. Mix of styles:
If user provided "ideas:", include those in the candidate list.
Output:
BRAINSTORM: Generated 18 candidates
[list each with one-line rationale]
Run these checks for ALL candidates simultaneously:
# Check .com
whois {name}.com 2>/dev/null | head -20
# Check .ai (use specific server)
whois -h whois.nic.ai {name}.ai 2>/dev/null | head -10
python -c "from big_phoney import BigPhoney" 2>/dev/null && python -m namecast.phonetic "{name}" || echo "SKIP"
Flag issues:
sounds_like containing confusing words ("sock", "suck", etc.)difficulty = "hard"Elimination criteria (any = out):
12 characters
IMPORTANT: Stop here and show user what passed/failed before continuing.
## Quick Filter Results
### Passed: {N} names
| Name | .com | .ai | Syllables | Notes |
|------|------|-----|-----------|-------|
| Cosilico | ✓ | owned | 4 | Clear pronunciation |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
### Eliminated: {M} names
| Name | Reason |
|------|--------|
| ModelSoc | Phonetic: sounds like "model sock" |
| TaxCloud | .com and .ai both taken (active sites) |
| Economicus | 5 syllables, hard to remember |
---
**What would you like to do?**
1. **Continue** → Deep evaluation of the {N} passed names
2. **Refine** → Adjust your description and I'll brainstorm again
3. **Add names** → Tell me specific names to add to the evaluation
Wait for user response before proceeding.
For survivors, check for existing companies and international issues:
Search: "{name}" company OR startup OR brand
Classify each result:
Check major languages for problematic meanings:
Elimination criteria:
For finalists (target 4-6 names):
Based on description, identify 5 relevant personas:
Example for B2B API company:
1. Enterprise CTO (50s) - risk-averse, cares about stability
2. Startup founder (30s) - moves fast, values developer experience
3. Developer advocate (28) - evaluates technical credibility
4. VC partner (40s) - pattern-matches against portfolio
5. Government procurement (45) - needs "safe" vendors
For each persona × name, roleplay and rate:
Rate each name (1-10 scale):
For each name, generate 3 taglines that:
| Category | Points | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Domain availability | 20 | .com avail=10, .ai avail=10 |
| Brand scope | 20 | Scope rating × 2 |
| Persona perception | 25 | Avg rating across personas, scaled |
| Pronunciation | 15 | Easy=15, Medium=10, Hard=5 (skip if unavailable) |
| Linguistic quality | 10 | Spelling ease, memorability |
| Uniqueness | 10 | No conflicts=10, flagged=5, competitor=0 |
## 🏆 Top 3 Recommendations
### 1. [NAME] — Score: XX/100
**Quick facts:**
- Domains: .com ✓ / .ai ✓
- Pronunciation: X syllables, [easy/medium/hard]
- Scope: X/10 — "[assessment]"
**Persona reactions:**
| Persona | Rating | Reaction |
|---------|--------|----------|
| CTO (50s) | 8/10 | "Sounds enterprise-ready" |
| ... | ... | ... |
**Suggested taglines:**
1. "[tagline]"
2. "[tagline]"
3. "[tagline]"
---
### 2. [NAME] — Score: XX/100
[same format]
### 3. [NAME] — Score: XX/100
[same format]
---
## Full Comparison
| Name | Domain | Scope | Perception | Pronunciation | Uniqueness | **Total** |
|------|--------|-------|------------|---------------|------------|-----------|
| ... | X/20 | X/20 | X/25 | X/15 | X/10 | **XX/100** |
---
## Recommendation
**[Winner]** is the strongest choice because:
- [Key strength 1]
- [Key strength 2]
- [Key strength 3]
**Consider [Runner-up] if:** [specific condition where it's better]
**Avoid [Eliminated name] because:** [key issue]
---
*Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a trademark attorney before finalizing your brand name.*