Guide
Get Better Names
How to use Studio, Decode, and Vault
The engine is only as good as the brief. Vague inputs activate generic methods. Precise inputs activate the exact methodology combination your naming challenge requires — producing names with documented strategic reasoning.
1. Why context wins
Every generation runs a 5-step reasoning chain. Step 1 is DNA Extraction — parsing your brief to build a semantic profile. Everything else builds from what Step 1 extracts.
If your brief is thin, the engine activates broad, generic methods and produces competent but undifferentiated names. If your brief is rich, it selects a precise combination tuned to your exact challenge — a combination that will never be the same twice.
Specific beats broad
The more precisely you describe your industry, audience, and value proposition, the more precisely the engine can select methods. "B2B SaaS for construction project management" activates different methods than "software".
Negatives are data
Telling the engine what you don't want — tones to avoid, competitor names, name styles that feel wrong — is as valuable as positive instructions. Use the Tone field and Additional Context generously.
Geography is not optional
Without market information, the 47-language Cultural DNA pipeline operates blind. A name that scores 9/10 in English may carry unintended meanings in your target markets.
2. Field-by-field tips
Click any field to expand guidance on what to write, what to avoid, and why it matters to the engine.
3. Reading your results
Every Studio run returns scored, ranked name candidates. Each shows its composite score, individual pillar scores, Method IDs cited, and a strategic rationale.
Composite score guide
8.0 – 10.0
Shortlist immediately
6.5 – 7.9
Worth developing
Below 6.5
Use as directional signal
Stickiness
How memorable and catchy the name is. Driven by phoneme patterns, syllable count, the K-effect, and alliteration.
How to read it
A score of 7+ means strong sonic hooks. Below 5 means it's forgettable — consider it only if other pillars are exceptional.
Fluency
How easily the name is read, written, and spoken aloud. Calculated purely by algorithm — zero AI cost.
How to read it
The most objective pillar. A score below 6 is a real problem for international use.
Trust
How credible and authoritative the name feels in its category. Scored by Claude using archetype resonance and historical reference.
How to read it
Critical for finance, health, and legal verticals. For consumer brands, lower Trust paired with high Stickiness can work intentionally.
Utility
How well the name serves its strategic purpose — brand architecture fit, competitive differentiation, and future-proofing.
How to read it
Read this alongside the rationale. High Utility with a weak rationale suggests the name is strategically correct but needs refinement.
Cultural Fit
Whether the name is safe and resonant in your activated markets. Runs the 47-language phoneme check.
How to read it
Any Cultural Fit score below 6 should be investigated before use. Check the rationale for specific market flags.
4. Using Decode
Decode lets you score any name you already have — a name you've invented, inherited, or shortlisted from another source. It runs the full 5-pillar scorecard without generating new candidates.
When to use it
You already have a name in mind and want to understand its strengths and weaknesses before committing. Or you've received names from an agency and want an objective second opinion.
What you need
The name itself, plus the same brief context you'd fill in for Studio — industry, audience, geography, value proposition. The scoring is context-dependent: the same name scores differently for a fintech vs a fashion brand.
What you get
Full 5-pillar breakdown with scores and rationale. Cultural audit across your markets. Domain availability. The same output format as Studio — so you can compare against Studio-generated candidates directly.
Cost: Decode costs 2 credits per name scored — less than a full Studio run.
5. Using the Vault
The Vault is your permanent shortlist and generation history. It has two tabs — Names (individual saved names) and Runs (full generation history).
Save aggressively, decide slowly
Save anything with a composite score above 6.5, even if it doesn't feel right immediately. Names often improve on second reading away from the generation context.
Use Runs to compare across briefs
Every Studio generation is automatically saved to Runs. Run Studio 2–3 times with slightly different brief variations, then compare the best candidates from each run side by side.
Compare pillar profiles, not just scores
Two names with a composite of 7.5 may have very different pillar profiles. One might be high Stickiness / low Trust — good for a consumer app, risky for a financial product.
7. Baby names & Nakshatra
The Baby Name vertical has two features that no other naming tool offers — regional linguistic intelligence and Vedic Nakshatra alignment.
Be specific about region and language
The engine has dedicated linguistic constraints for 8 Indian regional traditions. The more specific you are, the more culturally accurate the results:
South Indian Tamil family
Dravidian roots — Ezhil, Vetrivel, Karthik
Punjabi Sikh family
Gurbani roots — Harpreet, Jasdeep, Balveer
Bengali family
Tagore-era literary — Ritwick, Souvik, Tamal
Gujarati family
Short melodic names — Ronak, Dhruv, Nimit
Marathi family
Maratha heritage — Omkar, Atharva, Varad
Rajasthani Rajput family
Warrior tradition — Digvijay, Ekveer, Mahipal
Nakshatra alignment
Enter the baby's date of birth (and time of birth for higher precision) in the form. The engine calculates the Vedic birth star (Nakshatra) and recommended starting syllable — and shows which generated names are phonetically aligned.
Each result shows: Nakshatra name · Pada · Ruling planet · Recommended syllable · Cultural note. Names that start with the recommended syllable are marked ✦ Aligned.
Ready to try it? Open Studio →