

Show HN: need a name for your new startup? We just launched a naming company - keiferski
http://nomvilla.com/naming-services/

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keiferski
I've spent the better part of the last year or so learning everything about
naming, and this is the result. Creating a name is a problem that every new
startup (or product) faces, and for most people, it's a time-consuming and
difficult process.

There are a lot of naming firms out there, but almost all of them are too
expensive for a small startup (most charge $10,000 - $20,000+ minimum) and
have questionable results. So, I (along with a few part-time friends) set out
to offer a better product for a reasonable price - $299 per project. Since
we're just starting out, the first 10 customers will get 50% off ($149).

A common question is "why wouldn't I just create a name myself?". Our answer
is: if you want to make your own name, go ahead - many companies have. Check
out our site for some naming tips. But, the idea is that if you're an average
person, it's probably a waste of your time and your company's time. Not to
mention that it's probably not your expertise (naming is as much a skill as
anything else).

Some quick math: let's say you're worth $50-100 an hour (an average tech
professional). If you spend any more a few hours, you're losing money. As many
founders can attest, it can take weeks (and sometimes even months) to run
through the naming process and come out with a winner - and it might not even
be a good name. It really just comes down to economics: specialization is
vastly more efficient - you're good at X, and we're good at naming.

All in all, you get quite a bit for your money. Each project comes with a
detailed PDF report that analyzes each of the 5 names according to our
methodology, which includes every metric you could possibly think of.

\----

I'd be glad to answer any questions here, or via email at (Contact at
Nomvilla.com).

\----

Some links (from the nav bar):

How we create and analyze names: <http://www.nomvilla.com/methodology>

Names we've created: <http://www.nomvilla.com/portfolio>

Case studies and other articles: <http://www.nomvilla.com/case-studies>

An example of the report you'll receive (PDF): [http://nomvilla.com/wp-
content/uploads/images/Nomvilla-Sampl...](http://nomvilla.com/wp-
content/uploads/images/Nomvilla-Sample-Report.pdf)

~~~
feiern
I think this is a great idea with lots of potential, because one can easily
put too much effort into the naming of things (as every hacker knows it's the
only difficult thing besides cache invalidation).

But I have to ask: Why did you call your company "Nomvilla"? And am I right
that it basically means "House of Names"?

~~~
keiferski
Yep, you've got it. Nom is the Latin root for "name" and the N-vowel-M form
lends it to basically every Western European language (Nom in French, Nome in
Italian, Nombre in Spanish, Namn in Swedish, etc.)

A villa is an upscale country house, usually in the Mediterranean or S
America. Together they mean "a high class naming house", which is the brand
we're trying to convey.

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steventruong
Most people have difficulties coming up with a name simply because of personal
issues with names, not because a particular name isn't brandable. In other
words, its because THEY are particular about the name, not because the name
doesn't have merit.

With that said, on your methodology, some parts are contradicting. In one
part, you argue a name should hint what it does, but on another, a name needs
to be flexible to the long term strategy. The great companies often follow the
latter, not the former. Personally I too prefer names that don't associate
with a definitive meaning or product.

~~~
keiferski
I don't think its necessarily contradictory... more poorly worded. The name
should hint at what it does, either through a direct correlation to the
business, like Facebook, or by describing a quality the business has, like
Amazon ("large selection of goods").

The idea here is to be "Facebook", not "College Students Directory". In other
words, hint at the business while still being untied to anything specific.

Thanks for the feedback; I'll revise the copy.

