Naming and the GUNS ScoreFall in love with a name you can actually own.
Before you print a label or pay for a logo, I run every name through four checks: Google, USPTO, Network and Social. It's the fastest, cheapest way to find out which names are worth fighting for.
The GUNS Score
Four checks. Every name. Before you spend a cent.
Who's already using it? I search for businesses, products and reviews with the name, or anything close enough to confuse your customers.
USPTO
Is it already a live or pending trademark in your category? I search the federal trademark database for anything that could block you, or land you a cease and desist letter after launch.
Network
Can you get the domain? I check the .com and the sensible alternatives, and whether the ones you want are parked or for sale.
Social
Can you own the handles? I check Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and X, so your name looks the same everywhere. The S is my addition. Most agencies stop at three.
How names score
Green, yellow or red.
Why it saves you money. And heartache.
Most founders do it backwards. They pick a name, fall in love with it, pay for the logo and the packaging, and only then ask a lawyer if they can use it. If the answer is no, they've paid for the design, the legal work and the heartbreak.
GUNS flips the order. Twenty ideas go in, and only the handful that score green come out. A trademark attorney's full clearance search is worth paying for, but only on your finalists, not on every idea on the whiteboard.
You choose with your eyes open, too. You can see exactly why one name is a safe bet and another is a lawsuit waiting to happen. And when you're ready, I register the trademark for you.
GUNS is a screening tool, not legal advice. For tricky marks, I'll tell you when it's time to bring in an attorney.
A recent screen
12 names in. One clear winner.
For a San Diego creative organization, I scored 12 name candidates. One came back green across the board and became the recommendation. One of the early favorites was blocked by an active federal trademark, before anyone had spent a cent designing it.
Got a name in mind?
Send it over. I'll tell you whether it's green, yellow or red.