How to Generate Product Name Ideas at Scale

If you're only coming up with ten product name ideas to choose from, you're really just taking a shot in the dark.

Serious naming requires serious volume. At Tanj, we regularly explore hundreds or even thousands of name ideas to land on one solid final option. That might sound excessive, but it's actually just what the job requires.

Why Volume Is Non-Negotiable in Product Naming

Naming gets squeezed from all sides—trademarks, language quirks, competitive positioning, internal politics. Most of your early ideas won't make it through those gauntlets.

Generating 200 or more names isn't about drowning yourself in options. It's about giving yourself enough runway that you're not panicking when you have to kill off the weak ones.

When teams don't generate enough names upfront, they get too attached too early and end up defending ideas that just aren't good enough.

Start With Strategy, Not Words

Before you write down a single name, nail down your naming strategy.

Get clear on:

Who this product is for
What value it actually delivers
How it should make people feel
How it needs to stand out from the competition

Then develop multiple naming themes. Functional themes. Benefit-driven themes. Aspirational themes. Maybe even a wild card theme that pushes the boundaries a bit.

Each theme becomes a jumping-off point for dozens of ideas.

Use Time Blocks, Not Endless Brainstorms

The most productive way to generate large volumes of names is through focused time blocks.

Set a concrete goal—say, 50 names in one hour tied to a single theme. No judging yourself. No filtering yet. Just get them out.

Step away. Come back later. Switch to a different theme. Repeat. In just four sessions, you’ll have amassed 200 names across a variety of themes.

This rhythm keeps your energy up and prevents that creative burnout where everything starts sounding terrible.

Pull From Everywhere, Not Just Naming Tools

Thesauruses, articles, books, headlines, brands from totally different industries, everyday conversations—all of these are way more valuable than generic name generators. Keep an on-the-go list with you (a small notebook or your favorite notes app) to hold onto inspiration that strikes at an unexpected time.

AI or other online tools can help get the wheels turning, but they almost never produce viable names on their own. Think of them as inspiration, not answers.

Track Everything in One Place

Use a spreadsheet to log name ideas, meanings, themes, and any early screening notes. This keeps you from accidentally repeating yourself, maintains your momentum, and makes evaluation so much easier later on.

Sometimes just seeing hundreds of ideas laid out in one place is what finally unlocks the winner.

Expect Most Names to Die

Trademark checks, Google searches, and language reviews are going to wipe out most of your ideas. That's completely normal.

The goal isn't to protect every name you come up with. It's to surface the handful that can actually survive the real world.

When teams understand this going in, the whole process feels rigorous instead of soul-crushing.

If you're serious about generating strong product name candidates efficiently, working with a professional naming agency can save you months of spinning your wheels and internal back-and-forth.