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Choosing a business name is hard enough without wasting hours on names that aren't available. AI name generators promise to help—but which ones actually deliver?
We tested the most popular AI business name generators to find out which ones produce the best names, check availability accurately, and offer the best value.
What We Tested
For each tool, we generated names for the same three business concepts:
- A fintech startup helping freelancers manage taxes
- A sustainable fashion brand for Gen Z
- A B2B SaaS for restaurant inventory management
We evaluated each tool on:
- Name quality — Are the names creative, memorable, and brandable?
- Domain availability — Do they actually show available domains?
- Variety — Range of naming styles (invented, compound, descriptive)
- User experience — How easy is the tool to use?
- Value — What do you get for free vs. paid?
The Comparison
| Tool | Quality | Availability Check | Free Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namelix | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Quick brainstorming |
| Squadhelp | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | Premium/crowdsourced |
| BrandBucket | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | Pre-made premium names |
| Shopify Generator | ⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | E-commerce basics |
| Looka | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ No | Partial | Name + logo bundles |
| Brandroot | ⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | Domain marketplace |
| Panabee | ⭐⭐⭐ | Partial | ✅ Yes | Multi-platform check |
| NameMesh | ⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | SEO-focused names |
Detailed Reviews
Namelix
Website: namelix.com
Pros
- ✓ Fast AI generation with visual mockups
- ✓ Style filters (short, brandable, etc.)
- ✓ Completely free to use
- ✓ Save and compare favorites
Cons
- ✗ No real-time domain availability check
- ✗ Many generated names are already taken
- ✗ Need to verify availability elsewhere
Our take: Excellent for initial brainstorming. The AI produces creative options and the logo mockups help visualize brands. However, expect to spend additional time checking availability—in our test, only about 30% of suggested names had available .com domains.
Squadhelp
Website: squadhelp.com
Pros
- ✓ Crowdsourced naming contests with real creatives
- ✓ Premium curated marketplace names
- ✓ Includes trademark screening
- ✓ Professional-quality options
Cons
- ✗ Naming contests start at $299
- ✗ Marketplace names range $1,000-$25,000+
- ✗ No free AI generation tool
Our take: The gold standard for funded startups. Companies like Unilever and Nestle have used Squadhelp contests. The quality is excellent, but the price puts it out of reach for bootstrapped founders.
BrandBucket
Website: brandbucket.com
Pros
- ✓ Curated, professionally vetted names
- ✓ Domain included in purchase price
- ✓ Categorized by industry
- ✓ Quality guarantee
Cons
- ✗ Names start around $2,000
- ✗ No custom AI generation
- ✗ Limited to their inventory
Our take: If you have budget and want a guaranteed-quality brandable name without the hassle, BrandBucket delivers. Think of it as buying a pre-made brand rather than building one.
Shopify Business Name Generator
Website: shopify.com/tools/business-name-generator
Pros
- ✓ Completely free
- ✓ Instant results
- ✓ Integrated with Shopify store creation
Cons
- ✗ Basic keyword combination algorithm
- ✗ Repetitive patterns
- ✗ No availability verification
- ✗ Names often generic
Our take: A quick starting point, especially for Shopify users. But the algorithm is simple—mostly keyword + suffix combinations. You'll need to do significant work to find something unique and available.
Looka
Website: looka.com
Pros
- ✓ Name + logo generation together
- ✓ Good AI-generated designs
- ✓ Brand kit creation
Cons
- ✗ Primary focus is logos, not names
- ✗ Full logo kit requires payment ($65+)
- ✗ Name suggestions are secondary feature
Our take: Looka excels at logo creation. If you want name and logo together, it's worth considering. But for pure naming, dedicated tools offer better results.
Head-to-Head: Same Prompt Test
We asked each tool for names for a "fintech app helping freelancers track expenses and estimate taxes."
| Tool | Sample Names Generated |
|---|---|
| Namelix | Taxly, Freela, Fintaxer, Invoicely |
| Squadhelp Marketplace | Quarterli, Taxfyle, Bookwise |
| Shopify | FreelanceTax, TaxHelp, ExpenseTrack, TaxAssist |
| Looka | TaxFlow, FreelanceFinance, ExpenseEase |
Tools with more sophisticated AI (Namelix, Squadhelp) produced more varied, creative results. Basic generators (Shopify) relied heavily on keyword combinations.
The Real Problem: Availability
Here's what most people don't realize: generating names is the easy part. The hard part is finding names that are actually available.
Most AI generators show you names without checking availability. The cycle:
- Find a name you love
- Check the domain—taken
- Repeat 10-20 times
- Settle for something you don't love
Our Recommendation By Situation
| Situation | Best Tool | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Need free brainstorming | Namelix | Best free AI quality |
| Have $300+ budget | Squadhelp contest | Crowdsourced creativity |
| Have $2,000+ budget | BrandBucket | Guaranteed quality |
| Want name + logo together | Looka | Integrated branding |
| Shopify store | Shopify Generator | Platform integration |
| Prioritize availability | Check names manually | Or use availability-first tools |
The Availability-First Approach
The most efficient approach is starting with availability. Rather than generating names and then checking, why not only see names that are available?
This is the philosophy behind namemyapp—every name shown is verified available in real-time. No more falling in love with taken names.
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