10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Use AI for Naming
- Katie Pannell
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Cryptic26
TwistScript
EchoCraft
WryLetters
FigmentFlicks
InkQuirks
NuanceNexus
Paradox26
BlinkScript
ZephyrZest
I rest my case.
These are the pathetic naming suggestions from ChatGPT when I fed it a creative brief for naming my own brand. I'm doing a little experiment in all my spare time [LOL] to see how long it'd take for it to arrive at: “26&thensome." Knowing full well it won't. :)
Disclaimer: I LOVE ChatGPT & Claude. I spent a LOT of time with them. They've both been trained, bullied, whipped into my voice, style, expertise, etc. I'm no newb at AI. I'd call my prompting skills pretty damn impressive. The copy I've gotten outta the bots is honestly terrifying. Did I write this or was it one of... *looks around nervously* them? (Me. This is me. KT, the human.)
But when I'm namestorming, you won't catch a bot within 10 ft of me. For multiple reasons. But here's a BIG one:
You can't own the outputs of generative AI.*
*Verified fact confirmed by Trademark Attorney, Amber Gilormo of The Boutique Lawyer
And here's a bigger one:
I don't want to become cognitively or creatively codependent.
AI = ATROPHIED INTELLIGENCE
Naming with my own brain keeps me sharp.
In a world plagued by AI (atrophied intelligence), good names are immune. A name can’t be outsourced or automated—it’s the most human part of your brand.
Let me explain with 9 more reasons why AI shouldn't be one of your naming strategies:
AI is tragically literal.
AI-generated names almost always cling to the most obvious descriptors. You don’t need a name to state the obvious—you need it to spark interest, tell a story, and carve out space in someone’s brain. It’s like ordering vanilla at a gourmet gelato shop. You could. But why would you?
AI doesn't "get" mouthfeel.
Great names roll off the tongue. They’re easy to spell, hard to forget, and maybe even a little fun to say (Did you know "Häagen-Dazs" is completely made up? Just for mouthfeel.)
AI doesn’t know how to play with alliteration, repetition, rhythm, or rhyme unless you prompt it to, and even then, it’s copy-paste level patterning. Human naming experts can feel when a word clicks. AI can only follow syntax.
AI won't think sideways.
Lateral thinking—aka the ability to make unexpected, metaphorical, or tangential leaps—is the secret sauce behind great names like:
Apple
Innocent Drinks
Liquid Death (hello!)
AI’s logic is strictly vertical. You give it inputs, and it tries to optimize outputs by following rules. There are no intuitive leaps. It connects dots in straight lines. And branding is never a straight line.
4. AI names are trademark sitting ducks.
AI remixes existing content from the internet and pulls from the same shallow pool as every other bot out there. Translation: you use AI for a name, you LOVE it, you invest in branding, aaaand then you get hit with a cease and desist.
AI isn't thinking ahead strategically.
A solid brand name doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s not just cute or clever—it’s a strategic decision.
When I'm naming for a client I'm considering A LOT of parts:
Industry research & competitors
Their brand voice, emotional tone and naming criteria
Messaging/positioning gaps
Long term use and flexibility
AI does none of that. It doesn’t know your vision, your values, or your "why." It can’t translate strategy into story.
Aaaand about flexibility... AI names for the thing you tell it. Not for the future.
Great names leave room for evolution.
AI names are locked in the present tense. They’re keyword-focused, SEO-optimized relics of today’s trends. They're built for relevance, not resilience. They age like milk. Not wine.
7. AI is always going to be a littttttle behind the times.
Language is cultural. Period. It’s full of idioms, slang, connotations, and subtext that change across geography, generation, and identity. Without SO much extra context and prompting, it's not going to fully "get" the nuance of what's relevant right now culturally. What's not cool. What's PC. What's gonna get you canceled. Etc.
AI knows it has limitations. Ironically, trust it.
Just ask yourself, do you really want to to trust a robot with nuance? Something as delicate as the English language? How much does it really know about linguistic appeal? Emotion? Senses?
EMOTION. That's all.
A great name makes people feel something. Delight. Curiosity. Trust. Intrigue.
AI doesn’t feel. It doesn’t have taste. It can’t create resonance. It can only replicate patterns based on what’s already out there. Your brand deserves more than regurgitated buzzwords and Frankensteined portmanteaus.
AI can be helpful...
It can get the ideas flowing. It can be your thesaurus, or give you reference points.
But naming is emotional. Intuitive. Strategic. Human.
And that’s something no algorithm can replicate.
Naming your business isn’t just a task to check off. It’s a defining moment. Don’t outsource it to something that doesn’t even know what [insert your own very human experience ie- dancing in the rain] feels like... Not when I'm perfectly human and available for hire :)
![I is for If/Then
This one is for the people who want to name their thing *for* their people.�
It’s this simple:
If my people are into [insert weirdly specific thing],�then the name should feel like [insert unexpected vibe].
After that, decide on a tone word to describe your if/then.
Then make a list of single words that fit the tone. Repeat. So, round 2 would be 2 tone words, and 2 word combos. Go until 4 tone words and 4 word combos.
Here’s an example so you don’t overthink this:
If my people are into slow, minimal morning routines,�then the name should feel like choosing yourself before checking your email.
The tone here feels grounded.
So here are some of my one word wonders: still, whisper, always, hush, prelude.
Two tone words: grounded, lyrical.
Two word combos: me first, before them, soft boundaries, only always
See?](https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/488217639_18032261684635771_8301651091444165714_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=e-8x1osPOzAQ7kNvwElaSxN&_nc_oc=AdlgHuODcTgkYhvFzJWwV9hyC87S0Bj2s73z7iR0AxW93NNxVnCbCmxE0s2jdOTQ4eU&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=Imtrdbxr2SI8ZneSBqjfVQ&oh=00_AfK6peG-eytSiLLoieYIK7okP288FvSszvSNfP7FA93azQ&oe=6830CEA9)
![R is for Roleplay
You have full permission to use AI for this one— I brought prompts!
TO BE CLEAR — We’re *not* using AI to come up with a name. We’re using it to get your brain unstuck by forcing you to explain, defend, or rethink your thing in ways you wouldn’t on your own. “Verbally” process to see what words, phrases, descriptions bubble up. You may land on a name afterward, or a tagline, or new copy!
I like to run through 3 scenarios: talking to your harshest critic, your yes-man best friend, and a parent who doesn’t quite understand how you make money on the Internet.
AI is definitely the easiest way to roleplay (especially if you’re trying to keep your thing a secret until it launches), but you could if you borrow a person IRL too.
Here are your prompts:
1. Harsh Critic:
AI Prompt: "Act as if you're my harshest critic, grilling me on [thing you’re naming]. Challenge every assumption. Tell me why it doesn’t stand out, why no one will care, and what makes it a dumb idea. Identify any weaknesses or negative associations. Be “relentless, but insightful. I need to see this from every angle.”
2. Yes-Man Best Friend:
AI Prompt: "Pretend you’re my best friend who thinks everything I do is GENIUS. Tell me why my [thing you’re naming] is the most exciting, brilliant, must-have idea ever. What makes it irresistible? What words come to mind when describing it? Make assumptions about its success and highlight its best features."
3. Perplexed Parent:
AI Prompt: “Act as my as my technologically-challenged parent who never quite understands what I do. Ask me basic, but confused questions about [the thing you're naming] to clarify its purpose and appeal. Force “me to explain it in the simplest way possible.](https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/485120929_18030822563635771_1594399755830970539_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=GJ2fqv396vEQ7kNvwFQB_ov&_nc_oc=Adks2pUBfq13jA1zntYJQfMYC7zqs0lHC8m4peC2KZ2NSBOxDA-diuA1_LxJxrx2dRk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=Imtrdbxr2SI8ZneSBqjfVQ&oh=00_AfLxJ6vwPfZwps4cYi1K9xceSHTjGiNjN_E4T62cLVSNJA&oe=6830D08E)
![T is for Time Travel
What would your brand be called in another decade? A throwback name can make anything feel nostalgic, timeless, or futuristic—depending on which era you borrow from.
The ‘50s trend was suffixes like “—omatic” and “—orama.”
The ‘60s was all very space agey and atomic.
Flash forward to the early 2000s when dropping vowels was the hot new thing, or adding “-ly.”
Then there was the era of [color][noun]…
How to time travel:
1. Cosplay as me! Go to a thrift store, antique store, yard sale or estate sale (like I do every single weekend) and notice the names of things. Old stuff = a naming time capsule
2. Study old ads and packaging — look for suffixes.
3. Google some forgotten words or slang. (Just look ‘em up on urban dictionary before you get attached because they might have new meaning since their original use…)](https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/485128557_18030670289635771_3134685602885424824_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=xX2roh7BayoQ7kNvwH4ZgXn&_nc_oc=Adnh0MvKkiX9ebveS3FA89KX-wYWPLoS8rG1lrJkpl3twQV8AXfjMEnewzoFi0OJjaw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=Imtrdbxr2SI8ZneSBqjfVQ&oh=00_AfLaYgt3VyczK5bQ8DTlNQhA2oUQMJY-tjTzU4XPWRWp2w&oe=6830E585)
![Your newsletter needs a name for several reasons but here are a few:
☞ Because just asking people to “subscribe” to whatttt exactly??? is why your list isn’t growing.
☞ Your frenemies and distant relatives will be jealous to see [Your Newsletter Name Here] has a monthly readership of [obscenely high and cool number.]
☞ You could attract the attention of a PUBLISHER
☞ It's harder to quit when people know it by name (accountability is a blessing and a curse)
☞ You can put it on a mug (and write it off as business expense)
☞ It started its life as a newsletter, but might have a bright future in podcasting!
Comment "NAME" for my free How-To Guide!](https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.75761-15/483973869_18029971115635771_5714123445978720042_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=oSXHN6mE81oQ7kNvwHWy9my&_nc_oc=AdmIzxTJICA1sexB0anN1VwjOTh7XSqvi_yd-4P8WOv7x0IaaqJNZnfqaPkXPdzzoB4&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=Imtrdbxr2SI8ZneSBqjfVQ&oh=00_AfJDb5pXZmlDnTdO1vmmxMvArnys35EnrAy5_pqTzxoP8A&oe=6830C906)
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