Web 2.0 Name Generator

Generate Web 2.0 names in the classic mid-2000s startup style: dropped-vowel names like Snappr and Jottr, -ify and -ly coinages, bubbly nonsense words, -oo and -oodle brands, iThis and myThat prefixes, and -sphere, -hub and -verse compounds, for parody sites, retro projects, mockups and real products.

About Web 2.0 names

Web 2.0 names are the house style of the 2005 to 2010 startup boom, when every new site needed a short, friendly, lowercase-looking brand and a .com that was still available. The tricks are easy to spot. Drop a vowel from a verb and end in -r (Snappr, Jottr, Huddlr). Bolt -ify, -ly or -zy onto a noun (Taskify, Tweakly, Beatzy). Double an O or pile on -oo and -oodle for a bubbly, rounded sound (Wishoo, Kadoodle). Use pure nonsense that is fun to say (Floomp, Yoink, Zibby). Put i, my or we in front (iDoodle, myTaskr, weJam). Or compound a hobby with -hub, -sphere, -verse, -cast or -tribe (Recipehub, Fanverse, Geekcast). Add a gradient logo, rounded corners and a beta badge and the look is complete.

The list runs the full range of tricks so you can pick a flavor: -r names, -ify, -ly, -zy, -ster, -oo, -oodle, nonsense words, -sy, compounds, -tastic and -orama, prefixes, lighter suffixes like -eo, -vo and -wise, places like -topia and -ville, plus mashups and food and travel coinages. They work for parody and retro projects, for naming a side project or hackathon demo, and, used with a little restraint, for real products: plenty of companies from that era kept their dropped-vowel names and grew into household words.

How to choose Web 2.0 names

• Pick one trick per name. Snappr is a Web 2.0 name; Snapprify.io is a joke about one. Dropped vowel, -ify or -oo, not all three.
• Say it out loud and spell it back. The whole point of the style was a name that was short and easy to type; if people will ask 'with or without the e?', it fails its own test.
• For a parody or mockup, lean into the period details: lowercase wordmark, glossy gradient, reflection under the logo and a 'beta' badge. For a real product, use the name but skip the costume.
• Check the .com and the app store before you fall in love. Many dropped-vowel names were registered in 2006 and are still parked; the -ify and -ly versions are more often free.
• Avoid names one letter away from a famous one. A Web 2.0 name that sounds like an existing photo, music or social brand will be read as a knockoff, not a tribute.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Web 2.0 name?

A Web 2.0 name is a brand in the style of the mid-2000s internet startups: short, playful and usually made by dropping a vowel (Flickr-style -r endings), adding a suffix like -ify, -ly or -ster, doubling vowels, or using a bubbly nonsense word. The term comes from the 'Web 2.0' era of user-generated content sites, and the naming style became so recognizable that it is now its own genre, used both sincerely and as parody.

Are these names free to use for a real startup or website?

The names here are original coinages written in the Web 2.0 style and are free to use as starting points. Because the style was so popular, always check domains, app stores and trademark databases before committing: a surprising number of dropped-vowel and -ify names were registered between 2005 and 2010, and some still belong to active companies.

Which Web 2.0 name style works best for a modern product?

The suffix styles have aged differently. Dropped-vowel -r names now read as nostalgic or ironic, so they suit retro projects and parodies. The -ify, -ly and -io endings are still common on real products, and compound names like Recipehub or Fanverse remain neutral and descriptive. Short nonsense words (Zibby, Floomp) are the most brandable if you can live with explaining them.

Can I use this for a parody site or a fake startup in a game or video?

Yes, that is one of the main uses. The -tastic, -orama, iThis and myThat names are written with parody in mind and fit a fictional startup in a sketch, a webcomic, a game's in-world internet or a design mockup. Pair one with a tagline full of 2007 buzzwords like 'social', 'beta' and 'mashup' for the full effect.

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All 500 Web 2.0 names