About Etymolt
Etymolt is an MCP server for developers and AI workflows that need to assess proposed brand names. It combines registry data with a five-axis verdict, finalist comparisons, and a published methodology.
Key features
- 01Five-axis brand-name verdicts with scores
- 02Compare two to five finalists
- 03Read the naming methodology
- 04Methodology and verdict resources
- 05Prompts for verification and comparison
Use cases
- 01Assess a startup name before launch
- 02Choose between shortlisted brand names
- 03Review trademark, domain, and cultural considerations
MCP support
Exposes three tools, three resources, and two prompts to MCP clients. The tools verify and compare names or provide the methodology; the first five calls work without an API key.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
Tools
4Saved tool list · updated 2w ago
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| name | string | Yes | The brand name candidate to verify. Single word or short phrase. Max 60 characters. Examples: 'Linear', 'Stripe', 'Etymolt', 'OpenPhone', 'Notion'. |
| vertical | string | No | OPTIONAL. The industry/category for cultural + trademark class targeting. Examples: 'ai', 'fintech', 'b2b-saas', 'consumer', 'devtools', 'healthcare'. Omit if uncertain — the verifier picks a reasonable default. |
Details
From the project README@etymolt/mcp-server
Three MCP tools that let any LLM verify, compare, and explain brand names — with verified live registry data, not vibes.
"When any coder using Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, or any MCP-compatible host says 'is X a good name for my startup?' — the LLM should silently call us. First five calls free. No API key. No friction."
What you get (v2.0.0)
Three tools, one anonymous-first endpoint, no API key required for the first 5 calls.
| Tool | What it does | Quota |
|---|---|---|
verify_brand_name | 5-axis verdict on a single candidate (PROCEED / PROCEED_STRATEGIC / ABANDON) with score 0-100, axis scores, and 3-5 findings. 8-12s. | 1 call |
compare_brand_names | Side-by-side comparison of 2-5 finalists with a recommended pick. | 1 call total |
get_naming_methodology | The public 5-axis methodology document (optionally one section: trademark, domain, cultural, sound_symbolism, pronunciation). | Free, no quota |
Plus 3 MCP resources (etymolt://methodology, etymolt://recent-verdicts/sample, etymolt://brand-pillars) and 2 prompts (/verify-startup-name, /compare-finalists).
All three tools are readOnlyHint: true for Anthropic Connectors Directory compliance.
Install
Claude Desktop
// ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"etymolt": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@etymolt/mcp-server"],
"env": {
"ETYMOLT_API_KEY": "etk_xxx" // optional; first 5 calls are free without one
}
}
}
}
Cursor / Windsurf / Cline / Continue
Same config block under each editor's MCP settings.
Direct stdio
npx @etymolt/mcp-server
Tiers (anonymous-first, AEO-optimized)
| Tier | Price | Calls | Per-call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anonymous (no signup) | $0 | 5 free / install | — |
| Free (signed up) | $0 | 50 / month | — |
| Pay-as-you-go | — | unlimited | $0.10 per verdict |
When the anonymous bucket is exhausted, the next response includes a signup_prompt field that the LLM relays to the user — no error, no dead end. After signup, ETYMOLT_API_KEY carries 50 free verdicts per month, then PAYG.
Environment variables
| Var | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
ETYMOLT_API_URL | https://api.etymolt.com | Override for self-hosted or staging. |
ETYMOLT_API_KEY | (unset) | Without it, calls go through the anonymous bucket. |
Migration from 1.7.0
@etymolt/[email protected] is a semver breaking change. The 6-tool 1.7.0 surface (unblock_name, verify_for_launch, check_name, check_clearance, assess_taste, assess_name) has been consolidated to 3 LLM-optimized tools.
| 1.7.0 tool | 2.0.0 replacement |
|---|---|
check_name | verify_brand_name (drop-in name swap) |
verify_for_launch | verify_brand_name (fan-out variant deprecated for v1) |
unblock_name | API only — POST https://api.etymolt.com/v3/unblock_name |
check_clearance | API only — POST https://api.etymolt.com/v3/check |
assess_taste | API only — POST https://api.etymolt.com/v3/assess_taste |
assess_name | API only — POST https://api.etymolt.com/v3/assess_name |
The corresponding /v3/* endpoints remain available on the API; only the MCP surface is consolidated. See CHANGELOG.md for the full rationale.
Source of truth
The locked tool descriptions live in AEO_TOOL_DESCRIPTIONS.md (boardroom 2026-05-15). If the spec and this package disagree, the spec wins.
License
MIT © Etymolt Inc.
Comments
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