Narrow a long list before you register anything
Domain name shortlist scorer
Naming a product ends with a list of ten candidates that all feel fine. This page scores each one against six plain rules with the weights shown, so you can see why one name beats another and drop the weak ones before you get attached. It is a sorting aid for a shortlist, not a verdict on the best name.
No availability lookups happen here: the page never contacts a registrar or any server, and your names stay in the browser. Scores are judgements from simple rules, not market data. Confirm a name is free before you commit to it.
How to use it
- Paste your candidates. Enter one name per line, with its extension, for example lumo.com. Up to 50 names are scored.
- Score the list. Press Score names. The list is ranked from highest to lowest, with the points per rule and a note for each.
- Read the notes. Check the spelling, typo and handle notes on your top three. A high total can still hide one weak rule.
- Export and decide. Download the CSV to share with a partner, then check availability at a registrar and say the finalists out loud to someone.
The six rules and their weights
The total is a weighted average out of 100: radio test 20, pronounceability 20, spelling 20, length 15, extension familiarity 15 and typo risk 10. The weights are a judgement about what costs a new product the most when a name is hard to share, and you can read each rule's points on every row.
Length counts the characters without the extension, with the best range at 4 to 6 and a steady decline after 8. Pronounceability measures how often letters switch between vowel and consonant, and subtracts points for runs of three or more consonants or vowels. Spelling subtracts points for digits, hyphens, doubled letters and a match with a small list of homophones, such as night and nite or four and for.
Extension familiarity uses a small table that ranks .com first, followed by .io, .ai, .app, .dev, .co and others, and scores unlisted extensions low. That table is a judgement and contains no market data. Typo risk uses Levenshtein distance, the number of single letter edits between two words, against a short list of common words: a name one edit from a common word is likely to be mistyped as that word.
The radio test asks whether someone could hear the name once and type it correctly. It uses the syllable count (1 to 3 is best), and subtracts points for digits and hyphens that must be spelled out and for silent or irregular letters. Separately, a note says whether the name also works as a social handle: X handles are limited to 15 characters, so a longer label would need a different handle. It does not change the score.
Questions
Does this check whether a domain is available?
No. It never contacts a registrar or any server. Check availability separately, and do it before you design a logo around a name.
What is the radio test?
Imagine saying the name once on a podcast or in a call. If a listener could type it correctly without asking how it is spelled, it passes. Digits, hyphens, homophones and unusual spellings fail it.
Why do you penalise doubled letters?
Names such as coffee or gooogle make people pause on how many letters to type. One doubled letter costs a few points, a tripled run costs more. It is a risk flag, not a ban.
Is .com really better than .io or .dev?
The table is a judgement that .com is the most familiar to people outside tech. It is not market data, and for a developer product a newer extension can suit the audience. Treat the score as a prompt, not a rule.
Why does the tool mention a social handle?
A name that also works as a short handle is easier to promote. X handles can be at most 15 characters, so the tool notes whether your name, without the extension, fits. The note does not change the score.
Are my names stored or sent anywhere?
No. Scoring happens in your browser and nothing is uploaded. The CSV is made on your device when you press the export button.