Project Name Generator
Generate memorable, developer-friendly name ideas for software projects, open-source libraries, CLIs, and SaaS products.
$ Fill in the fields above and hit Generate
A project name generator is an AI-powered tool that suggests original, developer-friendly names for software projects — open-source libraries, CLI tools, internal dev tools, and SaaS codebases. Unlike a company name, a project name has to work in three places at once: prose (a README, a blog post), code (an import statement, a package.json), and conversation (a colleague saying it out loud in a stand-up).
How to approach naming a software project
Start by defining who will actually encounter the name and why. A library aimed at other developers gets discovered through GitHub search, npm search, and word of mouth in technical communities — it needs to read clearly to someone scanning a search-results page in ten seconds. A product built on top of that library, aimed at end users, has different constraints: it needs to sound trustworthy to someone who has never seen a line of code.
Once you know the audience, decide how literal the name should be. A name tied tightly to the exact thing the project does today reads well at launch but ages badly the moment the scope expands — which happens to most successful projects. Leaving a little interpretive room in the name is usually worth more than perfect clarity on day one.
Naming strategies for software projects
Descriptive names
A descriptive name states what the project does in plain words — json-schema-to-ts, http-status-codes. It's instantly clear in a README or a search result, and it needs no explanation the first time someone sees it. The trade-off is flexibility: a name built around one function reads oddly once the project grows past that function.
- ›csv-to-json — clear for a narrow conversion utility
- ›rate-limiter — self-explanatory for a single-purpose middleware
Suggestive names
A suggestive name hints at the function through metaphor rather than stating it outright — Prettier, Husky, Chalk. It takes a beat longer to parse than a descriptive name, but it reads as more brandable and adapts more gracefully as the project's scope expands.
- ›Sentry — suggests watchfulness for an error-monitoring tool
- ›Nest — suggests structure for a framework organizing an app
Compound names
Two real words joined together — Webpack, Terraform, Filebeat — read clearly, are easy to search for exactly, and still leave room for the project to grow, since each half only loosely constrains the meaning.
- ›Fireproof — for a resilience or backup-focused tool
- ›Gridlock — for something that manages layout or scheduling
Invented names
A coined word with no prior meaning — Vite, Zod, Deno — maximizes how much room you have on GitHub, npm, and as a domain, since there's less existing text to collide with. The cost is that it explains nothing on its own; the tagline and docs have to do more of the work.
- ›Zephyx — invented, short, no built-in meaning to constrain scope
- ›Corvid — a real but uncommon word repurposed as a brand
Common mistakes when naming a project
Naming it after the first feature
A name like csv-to-json-tool works perfectly until the project adds XML and YAML support, at which point the name actively undersells what it does. If you expect the project to grow past its initial scope, pick a name that describes the category, not the first feature.
Ignoring how the name behaves in code
A project name has to survive being lowercased, hyphenated, and imported. Mixing cases inconsistently, using characters that don't translate cleanly into a package name, or picking something that becomes an awkward variable name in every file that imports it all create friction that shows up daily.
Skipping the pronunciation test
Names get said out loud far more than people expect — in stand-ups, conference talks, and podcast mentions. A name that's ambiguous to pronounce or spell from hearing it leads to lost referrals and mistyped searches.
Writing docs before checking availability
It's tempting to start writing the README and blog post announcing a project the moment you land on a name you like. Do the repository, package, and domain checks first — renaming after the announcement is far more expensive than renaming before it.
Before you commit to a name
- ›Say the name out loud to a colleague and ask them to spell it back.
- ›Search GitHub for exact and near-identical repository names.
- ›Check the relevant package registry — npm, PyPI, crates.io, or similar — for conflicts.
- ›Search a trademark database if the project may become a commercial product.
- ›Check whether the matching domain is actually registered, not just unindexed.
- ›Search the name alongside your ecosystem's name (e.g. "name react") to catch existing usage search engines haven't fully indexed yet.
NameKit generates name suggestions based on your description — it does not search GitHub, npm, PyPI, domain registrars, or trademark databases. Examples above are illustrative, not a claim that any specific name is free to use. Confirm availability and, for a commercial product, consult a trademark professional before you commit.
How it works
Describe your project
Enter what your project does, any relevant keywords, and the tone you want — technical, playful, or professional.
AI generates 8 options
The model produces eight name candidates tailored to your description, each with a brief rationale explaining the choice.
Copy and verify before you commit
Click any result to copy it instantly. Then check it against GitHub, your package registry, and a domain registrar before you build docs, branding, or marketing around it.
Related tools and guides
Once you have a shortlist, run your favorite through the repository slug generator to make sure it also works as a lowercase, hyphenated repo name, and try the domain name generator to see how it holds up as a web address. For a deeper walkthrough of the collision checks covered above, see NameKit's guide to naming an open source project and the npm package naming conventions article.
Frequently asked questions
Should my project name match the package name I publish?
It doesn't have to, but it helps. If your GitHub repo is called one thing and the npm or PyPI package is called another, people searching for one won't find the other. When you can, keep the repo name, the package name, and any CLI command close enough that someone who knows one can guess the others.
Is a descriptive name or an invented word better for an open-source project?
Descriptive names (like http-status-codes) are easy to find in search and self-explanatory in a README, but they box you into one function. Invented or suggestive names (like Prettier or Vite) take longer to explain but scale better if the project grows past its first feature. Neither is objectively better — pick based on how much the project is likely to expand.
What if the project name I want is already taken on GitHub?
Try a more specific variant before giving up on the idea entirely — adding your language or framework as a prefix (go-, react-) or a suffix describing the exact niche often clears the collision. If it's taken as a popular, active project in the same space, it's usually worth choosing a different name rather than competing for search visibility.
Does NameKit check if a project name is already used?
No. NameKit generates name ideas based on your description; it does not search GitHub, npm, PyPI, or any other registry in real time. Treat every suggestion as a starting point and verify it yourself before you create a repository or publish a package.