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Name Validation Worksheet (12 Checks Before You Commit)
This is the final gate before a name moves into identity design and incorporation. Twelve checks, roughly four hours of work, that prevent the vast majority of post-launch naming regrets.
6 min read · Updated 2026-06-04
Availability checks (1–5)
- 1. Exact .com is obtainable (or an acceptable acquisition path exists).
- 2. Category-appropriate alternative TLD is obtainable (.ai, .io, .co, .dev, .app, .studio).
- 3. USPTO TESS search is clear in the relevant classes (no direct or phonetic matches).
- 4. Primary social handles (X, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, GitHub) are available or recoverable.
- 5. State or country business entity registry has no conflicting LLC or corporation.
Usability checks (6–9)
- 6. Voice test: read the name aloud as part of a fake sales call. No stumbles.
- 7. Pronunciation: a stranger reads it correctly on first attempt 4/5 times.
- 8. Spell-back test: leave a fake voicemail; recipient spells it back correctly.
- 9. Mobile reading test: name reads cleanly at 12px in a logo and at 14px in body copy.
Strategy checks (10–12)
- 10. Translation pass: the name has no unfortunate meaning in your top five target-market languages.
- 11. Search check: page one of Google for the bare name is not dominated by a major incumbent in your space.
- 12. Five-year stretch test: the name still fits when you imagine the company twice as broad as it is today.
Pass criteria
A finalist must pass all five availability checks (1–5) and at least three of four usability checks (6–9). The three strategy checks (10–12) are advisory — failing one is a yellow flag, failing two means revisit.