Global Brand Namer

Generate premium, cross-culturally resonant brand names by mining non-English vocabulary and pairing with strategic domain modifiers. This skill transforms generic naming sessions into systematic linguistic exploration.

Core Naming Principles

1. Phonetic Fluidity - The word must be easily pronounceable by an English-speaking audience without phonetic training. Avoid heavy consonant clusters, tonal requirements, or characters that don't transliterate cleanly.
2. Domain Viability - Assume all raw, single words (e.g., Takumi, Agbara) are squatted. Always pair the base word with a strategic modifier. See references/saas-modifiers.md.
3. Syllabic Brevity - Target 2-3 syllables maximum for the base word. One-syllable words work if they're distinctive.
4. Semantic Depth - The meaning behind the word should resonate with the product's purpose. A name with real meaning creates richer brand storytelling.
5. Cross-Lingual Safety - Verify the transliterated word doesn't mean something offensive in major world languages (English slang, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Mandarin).

Workflow

Step 1: Distill the Core Concept

Extract 2-4 English keywords capturing the product's function, feeling, or identity.

Prompting questions:

• What does the product DO? (build, connect, analyze, create)
• What FEELING should it evoke? (speed, trust, power, calm)
• Who is the audience? (developers, creators, enterprise, consumers)
• What's the competitive landscape? (crowded SaaS, niche tool, consumer app)

Example: A developer workflow tool might yield: build, flow, craft, forge

Step 2: Linguistic Translation & Exploration

Translate concepts across diverse language families. Select language categories that match the project's aesthetic.

Reference: Load references/language-matrices.md for full language-to-aesthetic mapping.

Quick selection guide:

Project Vibe	Best Language Families
Dev tools / Infrastructure	Japanese, Nordic, Latin, German
Creative / AI / Workflows	Yoruba, Sanskrit, Maori, Swahili
Minimalist SaaS / Analytics	Mandarin (Pinyin), Esperanto, Finnish
Community / Social	Zulu, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Tagalog
Security / Trust	Arabic, Norse, Latin, Greek

Step 3: Phonetic Filtering

Discard any translations that fail these checks:

• Can a native English speaker spell it after hearing it once?
• Is it <= 3 syllables?
• Does it avoid unfortunate homophones in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese?
• Does it NOT require diacritics or special characters for the domain?
• Is it distinct from existing major brands?

Step 4: Modifier Integration

Attach industry-standard structural words to create a viable, registrable domain.

Reference: Load references/saas-modifiers.md for the full modifier taxonomy.

Quick modifier selection:

Product Type	Recommended Modifiers
Dev tools / APIs	Protocol, Core, Syntax, OS, Kit
Creative tools	Forge, Labs, Studio, UI, Works
Consumer apps	Get, Use, Run, App, Try
Enterprise / Platform	HQ, Cloud, Suite, Base, Stack

Step 5: Output Formatting

Present results in a structured grid:

## Name Suggestions for [Product]

### Tier 1: Top Picks
| # | Name | Base Word | Origin | Meaning | Domain Suggestion | TLD Options |
|---|------|-----------|--------|---------|-------------------|-------------|
| 1 | KodoForge | Kodo | Japanese | Heartbeat / Pulse | kodoforge.dev | .dev, .io |
| 2 | SareLabs | Sare | Yoruba | Run / Speed | sarelabs.com | .com, .io |
| 3 | VahvaKit | Vahva | Finnish | Strong / Robust | vahvakit.dev | .dev, .com |

### Tier 2: Strong Alternatives
[... more options ...]

### Tier 3: Creative Wild Cards
[... experimental options ...]

## Recommendation
[Top pick with rationale]

Always generate at minimum 10 names across all tiers.

Constraints

• Never suggest exact-match .com domains for single dictionary words without a disclaimer about extreme cost/unavailability.
• Never use words with heavy cultural/religious significance (e.g., Karma, Nirvana, Allah, Dharma) unless the brand explicitly operates in that cultural space.
• Always verify the transliterated word doesn't clash with English slang, profanity, or brand names.
• Always present at least 3 TLD options per suggestion (.com, .dev, .io, .ai, .app, .co).
• Flag any name where cultural appropriation risk exists with a [!] Cultural Note callout.

Pre-Mortem Checklist

Before finalizing any name, run through these risk checks:

1. Cultural Appropriation - Is the word sacred, ceremonial, or deeply tied to a marginalized group's identity? If yes, flag it.
2. Transliteration Drift - Does the Romanized spelling diverge enough from the original to lose meaning or create confusion?
3. Accidental Homophones - Cross-check against Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, and Mandarin for unintended meanings.
4. Trademark Collision - Does a quick mental scan suggest overlap with existing tech brands?
5. Verbal Shareability - Can someone say "Check out [Name]" in a conversation and have the listener spell it correctly?

Integration with Domain Brainstormer

This skill complements the domain-name-brainstormer skill. Use this skill when the creative direction is "linguistically rich, globally inspired names." Use domain-name-brainstormer for straightforward English-based domain availability checking.