Startups run on experimentation, right? Your naming process should too. When your first batch of ideas feels flat, try playing around a little. It loosens up your thinking.
A personal favorite: follow a rhyming tangent. Pick a key word connected to your product and chase the sound wherever it takes you. Game to lame to lame duck to Gameduck. Shutter to butter to butterfly to Shutterfly. These leaps open up space for things you wouldn't normally consider.
Literal word games are another helpful tool. Pull out Boggle, Bananagrams or a word search. You can play the game as intended, or just mess around with the letters and see what happens.
Finally, a classic for writer’s block: Grab a pen and set a twenty-minute timer to just write — don't stop, don't edit yourself. We suggest starting by writing down every bad idea you can think of. Seriously—get the obvious, terrible names out of your system. Then try freewriting with no agenda. Let yourself doodle if you prefer. Words show up when your brain relaxes.
Playfulness creates distance from the pressure. And that distance? That's where you find names that actually feel fresh and different.
Need even more help getting unstuck? Let’s talk.