Article · ~12 min read

How to (Scientifically) Pick the Best Domain Name

Justin Wilcox · Customer Development Labs Free Intermediate

Most naming advice stops at opinions, this one runs an actual experiment. Justin Wilcox walks through testing name candidates on 50 real strangers via a paid survey panel, scoring each on memorability, spellability, and gut associations, for about the price of a coffee. It is the clearest starting point we found for turning a naming hunch into data before you commit.

  • Pick 2 to 4 finalists and test them head to head on real people, not just friends who will be polite.
  • Measure the things that matter: can people recall the name after a distraction, and can they spell it after only hearing it.
  • A small paid survey (roughly 50 respondents for a few dollars) is enough to see a clear winner and often surprises you away from your favorite.
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The question it answers

  1. How do I test a startup name on real people before I commit to it?

Read with it

  1. When you want fast reactions from strangers who match your audience, PickFu is the cheap, no-setup way to do it. You upload 2... PickFu Tool · Poll results in a few hours How to test your brand name with PickFu PickFu
  2. Alexandra Watkins wrote the book on naming, and here she explains in plain terms why a name that people have to stop and spell... Ebaqdesign / On Branding Podcast Video · ~50 min interview How To Create Brand Names with Alexandra Watkins (On Branding Podcast) Arek Dvornechuck (host), Alexandra Watkins (guest)
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