Owner review 11, lane Z: short, connotation-light names in the Band and Strava style (2026-10-13)
Status: Draft · Date: 2026-10-13 · Builds on review 7 (rubric), review 8, review 9 and review 10; earlier rounds are not redone. Only this file was written.
Owner, review 11. "What are trends in app names in this field these days? I do like short names like band or strava that don't really have any connotation."
0. Evidence tags and limits
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | iTunes Search API via curl, US and KR, 2026-10-13, 25 results per name, 3 s apart. "Exact" = first segment of a track name (before :, -, |, () equals the name; number in [ ] = rating count. |
| R | RDAP via rdap.org, 2026-10-13. 200 = a registration record exists. Some calls were throttled (403); those are marked "not checked". |
| W | One web search per finalist, 2026-10-13 (search snippets, not full page reads). |
| G | General knowledge (dictionary-level meanings), not verified. Native-speaker meaning checks: not checked. Trademark clearance (KIPRIS, USPTO, WIPO, EUIPO; classes 9, 41, 42): needs a search for every name. Google Play: not checked. |
1. Trends: what the evidence says, and what it does not
Decided by evidence (thin). A web pass for 2025-2026 app-naming trends found general ASO guides, not data. They agree on short, one-to-two-syllable names plus a descriptor in the store title (Brand: keyword), e.g. MobileAction, ASO Mobile 2025 guide, Appark. One newsletter claims cryptic names ("Nex", "Vora") are thriving (Name Pick) but its statistics (a 40% lift, a 25% recall study) cite no source, so they are not relied on. The search found nothing on Strava or Band specifically. The reliable pattern is already in review 10: the leaders (Strava, Band, Spond, Heja, Hinge, Toss) are 1-2 syllables, mean little on the surface, and let the store descriptor carry the function. This lane's target is that pattern, so the trend question is answered by review 10 plus the guides above; no new numbers exist.
The owner's taste (not evidence). Short, no surface meaning, optionally a hidden foreign meaning.
A caution that the screen itself shows. Short real words are the most contested names in the store: Ally has 113,777 US ratings, Oak 31,664, Dune 4,962, Lark 2,391, Cove 1,606, Loop 1,032 (A). The short space is crowded, so a short name wins only when it is also unusual.
2. Candidates: 112, tagged by strategy
Strategies: RW real word out of context · FW foreign word, hidden meaning · CV coined CV-CV · CL clipped brand form · KR Korean seed. Language codes: sv Swedish, no Norwegian, da Danish, fi Finnish, is Icelandic, nl Dutch, de German, it Italian, es Spanish, pt Portuguese, la Latin, el Greek, tr Turkish, ja Japanese.
| # | Name | Hangul | Strat | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pip | 핍 | RW | seed, point |
| 2 | Nook | 눅 | RW | |
| 3 | Wren | 렌 | RW | bird |
| 4 | Lark | 라크 | RW | |
| 5 | Cove | 코브 | RW | |
| 6 | Reed | 리드 | RW | |
| 7 | Moss | 모스 | RW | |
| 8 | Kite | 카이트 | RW | |
| 9 | Tuck | 턱 | RW | 턱 = chin in Korean |
| 10 | Plum | 플럼 | RW | cluster |
| 11 | Dune | 듄 | RW | |
| 12 | Loop | 루프 | RW | |
| 13 | Pace | 페이스 | RW | |
| 14 | Nest | 네스트 | RW | |
| 15 | Wick | 윅 | RW | |
| 16 | Sage | 세이지 | RW | |
| 17 | Mint | 민트 | RW | |
| 18 | Fern | 펀 | RW | |
| 19 | Oak | 오크 | RW | |
| 20 | Dot | 닷 | RW | |
| 21 | Jolt | 졸트 | RW | |
| 22 | Bloom | 블룸 | RW | cluster |
| 23 | Mera | 메라 | FW sv | "mera" = more (sv) |
| 24 | Meira | 메이라 | FW is | "meira" = more |
| 25 | Mere | 메레 | FW da | more |
| 26 | Mehr | 메어 | FW de | more |
| 27 | Igen | 이겐 | FW sv/da | again |
| 28 | Igjen | 이옌 | FW no | again |
| 29 | Atter | 아터 | FW no | again |
| 30 | Enda | 엔다 | FW no | "enda" = still, even (more) |
| 31 | Bana | 바나 | FW sv | court, track |
| 32 | Boll | 볼 | FW sv | ball |
| 33 | Lisaa | 리사 | FW fi | more |
| 34 | Pallo | 팔로 | FW fi | ball |
| 35 | Kaksi | 칵시 | FW fi | two |
| 36 | Taas | 타스 | FW fi | again (TASS news agency) |
| 37 | Aftur | 아프투르 | FW is | again, cluster |
| 38 | Weer | 위어 | FW nl | again |
| 39 | Nog | 녹 | FW nl | more, still |
| 40 | Samen | 사멘 | FW nl | together |
| 41 | Baan | 반 | FW nl | court, track |
| 42 | Noch | 노흐 | FW de | still, yet (ch sound) |
| 43 | Zwei | 츠바이 | FW de | two, cluster |
| 44 | Platz | 플라츠 | FW de | court, cluster |
| 45 | Piu | 피우 | FW it | più = more |
| 46 | Bis | 비스 | FW it/la | encore, twice |
| 47 | Campo | 캄포 | FW it | court, field |
| 48 | Ancor | 안코르 | FW it | still, again |
| 49 | Due | 두에 | FW it | two |
| 50 | Mas | 마스 | FW es | más = more |
| 51 | Otra | 오트라 | FW es | another, cluster |
| 52 | Dos | 도스 | FW es | two (DOS) |
| 53 | Cancha | 칸차 | FW es | court, long |
| 54 | Bora | 보라 | FW pt | "let's go"; 보라 = purple in Korean |
| 55 | Mais | 마이스 | FW pt | more |
| 56 | Bola | 볼라 | FW pt | ball |
| 57 | Novo | 노보 | FW pt | new, again |
| 58 | Iter | 이터 | FW la | path, again (iterum) |
| 59 | Plus | 플러스 | FW la | more |
| 60 | Ludo | 루도 | FW la | I play (board game) |
| 61 | Mazi | 마지 | FW el | μαζί = together |
| 62 | Dyo | 디오 | FW el | two |
| 63 | Pali | 팔리 | FW el | πάλι = again |
| 64 | Daha | 다하 | FW tr | more |
| 65 | Yine | 이네 | FW tr | again |
| 66 | Hadi | 하디 | FW tr | come on |
| 67 | Iki | 이키 | FW tr | two |
| 68 | Motto | 모토 | FW ja | もっと = more (English: motto) |
| 69 | Mata | 마타 | FW ja | また = again; Spanish "kills" |
| 70 | Saa | 사 | FW ja | さあ = come on |
| 71 | Hora | 호라 | FW ja | ほら = look (hour in pt/es) |
| 72 | Maru | 마루 | FW ja/ko | circle / wooden floor |
| 73 | Tavo | 타보 | CV | |
| 74 | Kovi | 코비 | CV | |
| 75 | Lumo | 루모 | CV | |
| 76 | Nuvo | 누보 | CV | |
| 77 | Vimo | 비모 | CV | |
| 78 | Rilo | 릴로 | CV | |
| 79 | Sefa | 세파 | CV | |
| 80 | Daro | 다로 | CV | |
| 81 | Nilo | 닐로 | CV | |
| 82 | Hoki | 호키 | CV | |
| 83 | Zeno | 제노 | CV | |
| 84 | Kefi | 케피 | CV | |
| 85 | Loko | 로코 | CV | |
| 86 | Piko | 피코 | CV | |
| 87 | Vela | 벨라 | CV | |
| 88 | Bavo | 바보 | CV | 바보 = fool in Korean |
| 89 | Pavo | 파보 | CV | parvo (dog disease) |
| 90 | Miro | 미로 | CV | 미로 = maze; Miro whiteboard |
| 91 | Toma | 토마 | CV | too close to 투마 |
| 92 | Beno | 베노 | CV | |
| 93 | Suvi | 수비 | CV | 수비 = defence |
| 94 | Mika | 미카 | CV | |
| 95 | Rali | 랄리 | CL | rally clipped |
| 96 | Ally | 앨리 | CL | rally minus r |
| 97 | Encor | 앙코르 | CL | encore clipped |
| 98 | Agen | 에이젠 | CL | again clipped |
| 99 | Gain | 게인 | CL | again clipped |
| 100 | Moar | 모어 | CL | more, meme spelling |
| 101 | Tumo | 투모 | CL | TwoMore clipped |
| 102 | Twomo | 투모 | CL | |
| 103 | Mora | 모라 | CL | more + a (la: delay) |
| 104 | Rallo | 랄로 | CL | |
| 105 | Dasi | 다시 | KR | 다시 = again |
| 106 | Moa | 모아 | KR | 모아 = gather |
| 107 | Tto | 또 | KR | 또 = again |
| 108 | Deo | 더 | KR | 더 = more |
| 109 | Dodo | 도도 | KR | bird; 도도 = aloof |
| 110 | Deouk | 더욱 | KR | even more |
| 111 | Gachi | 가치 | KR | from review 7-9 range; 가치 = value |
| 112 | Jom | 좀 | KR | a little (좀 더) |
Earlier rounds. Rallia, Naishot and Hostmore are not repeated. Rally-based forms (Rali, Rallo, Ally) and Dasi/Moa/Tto/Deo-type Korean seeds were not in rounds 7-10; Tumo/Twomo are TwoMore clips and are re-admitted only because the new target values a short name. Gachi (together) was in an earlier round and is kept only as a tag here, not screened.
3. Pre-screen (no network): 112 down to 42
Cut for Hangul shape (clusters or more than 3 syllables): Plum, Bloom, Nest, Kite, Pace, Sage, Aftur, Zwei, Platz, Otra, Cancha, Ancor, Encor, Jolt. Cut for a bad or loaded meaning: Bavo (바보 fool), Pavo (parvo), Mata (Spanish "kills"), Tuck (턱 chin), Miro (미로 maze; Miro whiteboard), Suvi (수비 defence), Taas (TASS), Dos (DOS), Hora, Ludo (a famous board game). Cut for fame or closeness to own brand: Toma (too close to 투마), Ally (113,777 ratings, A), Plus, Gain, Maru (dozens of apps, G). Cut as too weak or one-syllable stumps: Pip, Wick, Saa, Reed, Dyo, Iki, Mere, Mehr, Mais, Bola, Novo, Iter, Weer, Nog, Noch, Yine, Baan, Boll, Kaksi, Lisaa, Igjen, Atter, Meira, Mas, Due, Campo, Dodo, Deouk, Gachi, Jom, Twomo, Moar, Agen, Beno, Mika, Nilo, Zeno, Daro, Loko, Vimo, Reed.
Kept for lookup (42): Mera, Bis, Daha, Dasi, Mazi, Enda, Igen, Piu, Pallo, Hadi, Bora, Samen, Nook, Wren, Lark, Cove, Moss, Dune, Loop, Fern, Oak, Dot, Tavo, Kovi, Lumo, Nuvo, Rilo, Sefa, Kefi, Hoki, Piko, Vela, Rali, Tumo, Ally, Moa, Tto, Deo, Mora, Motto, Bana, Mazi (listed once).
4. Lookups (A, R)
Format: US exact [ratings] / KR exact. .com: 200 = registered. Every .com checked returned 200 (taken) or was throttled; domain is not a differentiator, as in earlier rounds. Use get<name>.com/.app alternatives (not checked).
| Name | App Store US exact | KR exact | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mera | Mera - Calorie Tracker [5]; 3 prefix | same [0] | Tiny clash |
| Bis | BIS - Pool [3]; 6 prefix | none | Crowded prefixes |
| Daha | DAHA: Does Anyone Have A...? [17] | same [0] | Small; Turkish shopping app Daha Daha (W) |
| Dasi | DASI - AI Property Analyzer [124] | same [1] | Small clash |
| Mazi | Mazi [0]; 2 prefix | Mazi [0] | Empty shells |
| Enda | none (4 prefix) | none (2 prefix) | Clean |
| Igen | none (8 prefix) | none (11 prefix) | Clean exact, crowded prefix |
| Piu | none (1 prefix) | none | Clean |
| Pallo | Pallo [0] | Pallo [0] | Empty shells |
| Hadi | Hadi [2], [3] | Hadi [0] | Tiny clash |
| Bora | Bora [167] and two more | Bora [1] | Cut |
| Samen | none | none | Clean, but see German risk |
| Nook | nook: Low-Tox Home Scanner [951] +2 | 3 exact | Cut |
| Wren | 3 exact, [1] to [3] | 3 exact | Crowded |
| Lark | Lark - Team Collaboration [2,391] | [200] | Cut |
| Cove | Cove - Document Your Life [1,606] +2 | 3 exact | Cut |
| Moss | 3 exact, [323] top | 3 exact | Crowded |
| Dune | Dune: Imperium [4,962] | [249] | Cut |
| Loop | Loop: The Matchmaking App [1,032] +2 | Loop [0] | Cut |
| Fern | 3 exact, [12] top | 3 exact | Crowded |
| Oak | Oak - Meditation [31,664] | [38] | Cut |
| Dot | 3 exact, [17] top | none | Crowded |
| Tavo | Tavo - AI Stories [380]; AI Volleyball [0] | same | A volleyball app: clash |
| Kovi | KOVI [0] | KOVI [0] | Empty shell; Brazilian car-rental firm Kovi, acquired by Moove 2025 (W) |
| Lumo | Lumo: A Muslim Pet Companion [722] +2 | 3 exact | Crowded |
| Nuvo | Nuvo: Fitness Nutrition Coach [0] +1 | same | Fitness clash |
| Rilo | RiLo: Ride Local [2] +2 | RILO [9] | Crowded |
| Sefa | Sefa [0]; Sefa: Dollar Savings [2] | same | Small |
| Kefi | Kefi: Kefir Companion [0] | same | Small |
| Hoki | 3 exact, [8] top | 1 exact | Small |
| Piko | 3 exact, [2] top | 2 exact | Crowded |
| Vela | Vela: AI Video Generator [259] +2 | 3 exact | Crowded |
| Rali | Rali: Sports Bar Finder [10]; RALI [3] | none | Sports-adjacent clash |
| Tumo | none | TUMO(츠모) tower game [0] | Clean in stores; TUMO Armenia is a large nonprofit brand (W) |
| Ally | Ally: Bank [113,777] | Ally [0] | Cut |
| Moa | moa: 아마추어 축구 운영진을 위한 팀 관리 [0] | Moa - 실시간 월급 체감 [9] | A club-admin sports app exists: clash |
| Tto | TTO [0] | TTO [0] | Small |
| Deo | none | DeO [1] | Clean |
| Mora | MORA [0] +2 | MORA - 모라 [3] | Crowded |
| Motto | Motto - Daily Quotes [17] +2 | [2] | Crowded; English word "motto" |
| Bana | BANA: Fonts [65] | [71] | Small |
Web searches (W, one per finalist): Mera shows MedMera Bank (Swedish digital bank, ~135,000 customers, acquired by Morrow Bank), Mera Fritid and the Mera Peak/Aquaman uses, no sport app. Samen is the Dutch word for "together" (Wiktionary); no brand found. Daha: Turkish shopping app "Daha Daha" listed under Coca-Cola on a 42matters chart, publisher unverified. Kovi: car rental, hair and coffee-app uses. Tumo: TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, a nonprofit of 25,000+ weekly teen visits, with centres in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. Not checked by web: Enda, Piu, Pallo, Mazi, Dasi.
5. Shortlist of 10
Scores use the review-7 rubric C1-C9 (0-2 each, max 18), plus shortness (S, 0-2) and connotation-light (L, 0-2): max 22. Scores are my judgement from the evidence above (G where meanings are concerned).
1. Mazi · 마지 Letters 4 · English 2 syl (MAH-zee) · Hangul 마지 (2) · Hidden meaning: Greek μαζί, "together" (G). A club app is literally about "together". Sound: stress on the first, open vowels, easy in all five rubric languages. Collisions: two empty shells (Mazi [0]). Risks: Greek-only meaning, so the story is invisible outside Greece; 마지 has no everyday Korean meaning I know of (G, not checked with a native speaker). Lockup Mazi: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 마지에서 출석 체크해요. Score 14 + S2 + L2 = 18/22.
2. Enda · 엔다 Letters 4 · 2 syl (EN-da) · 엔다 (2) · Hidden: Norwegian "enda", "still / even (more)", as in "enda en gang" (once more) (G). Fits "두 개 더" without saying it. Collisions: none exact in US or KR (A). Risks: Irish given name (St Enda, Enda Kenny), so it reads as a person's name; 엔다 reads like "yen" + da, minor. Lockup Enda: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 엔다에서 출석 체크해요. Score 13 + S2 + L2 = 17/22.
3. Mera · 메라 Letters 4 · 2 syl (MEH-ra) · 메라 (2) · Hidden: Swedish "mera", more; also Hindi/Urdu "mera", "my" (G). Collisions: Mera - Calorie Tracker [5 ratings], Mera Peak, Aquaman's Mera, MedMera Bank (W). Risks: sees real uses; a calorie tracker in the health category is a different category from a club app, but the exact-name overlap in the store is real. Lockup Mera: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 메라에서 출석 체크해요. Score 12 + S2 + L2 = 16/22.
4. Piu · 피우 Letters 3 · 2 syl (PYOO) · 피우 (2) · Hidden: Italian "più", more (G). Collisions: none exact (A). Risks: 피우 is a verb stem ("to smoke / to light"), a real bad association in Korean (G); easy to mis-type as "Pew". Lockup Piu: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 피우에서 출석 체크해요. Score 12 + S2 + L1 = 15/22.
5. Pallo · 팔로 Letters 5 · 2 syl (PAL-lo) · 팔로 (2) · Hidden: Finnish "pallo", ball (G). Collisions: Pallo [0] in US and KR. Risks: 팔로 is the slang "follow" in Korean social apps (G), a wrong connotation; the ball meaning ties to sport more than the owner asked. Lockup Pallo: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 팔로에서 출석 체크해요. Score 13 + S2 + L1 = 16/22.
6. Dasi · 다시 Letters 4 · 2 syl (DAH-see) · 다시 (2) · Hidden: Korean "다시", again, which is the brand idea ("once more"); abroad it reads as a coined word. Collisions: DASI - AI Property Analyzer [124 US, 1 KR]. Risks: Hindi "dāsī" means a female servant (G, not checked), a real risk in India; 다시 is a very common Korean word, so it is hard to own and to search. Lockup Dasi: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 다시에서 출석 체크해요. Score 12 + S2 + L1 = 15/22.
7. Daha · 다하 Letters 4 · 2 syl (DAH-ha) · 다하 (2) · Hidden: Turkish "daha", more (G). Collisions: DAHA [17 US], a Turkish shopping app "Daha Daha" (W). Risks: a strong Turkish consumer brand; 다하 is a Korean verb stem ("to exhaust, to fulfil"), mild. Lockup Daha: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 다하에서 출석 체크해요. Score 11 + S2 + L1 = 14/22.
8. Tumo · 투모 Letters 4 · 2 syl (TOO-mo) · 투모 (2) · Hidden: "TwoMore" clipped; keeps the owner's 두 개 더 story. Collisions: none in the US store; TUMO(츠모) game in KR [0]; TUMO Armenia is a big nonprofit brand (W). Risks: the Armenian organisation holds the name in education; people will hear "tomorrow" (투모로우) in Korean. Lockup Tumo: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 투모에서 출석 체크해요. Score 12 + S2 + L1 = 15/22.
9. Kovi · 코비 Letters 4 · 2 syl (KO-vee) · 코비 (2) · Hidden: none (coined). Collisions: KOVI [0] in both stores; a Brazilian car-rental firm (acquired by Moove 2025, W). Risks: sounds like "Kobe" or "COVID" in Korean (코비드); no story. Lockup Kovi: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 코비에서 출석 체크해요. Score 11 + S2 + L2 = 15/22.
10. Samen · 사멘 Letters 5 · 2 syl (SAH-men) · 사멘 (2) · Hidden: Dutch "samen", together (G, Wiktionary). Collisions: none (A). Risks: German "Samen" means seed and semen, a bad meaning in a major language, which breaks C2 and hurts a global plan. Lockup Samen: 테니스 클럽 운영. Line: 오늘 사멘에서 출석 체크해요. Score 12 + S2 + L1 = 15/22.
Top 3
- Mazi (18). The only name with a clean store screen, a rest-of-world hidden meaning that fits a club ("together"), and an easy Hangul shape.
- Enda (17). Cleanest of all in both stores, hidden meaning "still / even more" close to the owner's story.
- Mera (16). Easiest to say and most Band-like, at the price of small store overlaps.
Against Rallia
Rallia (review 7; 3 syllables, 랠리아) is the closest earlier name to this target. All of these beat it on shortness (2 syllables, 4-5 letters) and on surface connotation (Rallia says "rally"). They lose to it on the thing review 10 valued most: Rallia still points at racket sports, and none of these ties to tennis; the hidden meanings (together, more, still) are only visible to speakers of Greek, Norwegian or Swedish, so the story must be told in the descriptor and the onboarding. Rallia was not rescreened here; its review 8 note (a "Rallie Pickleball" app) stands. Honest ranking: if the owner's taste for Band/Strava outweighs the sport link, Mazi or Enda; if the sport link matters, Rallia stays ahead; TwoMore stays the only name that carries the 두 개 더 meaning on the surface.
Open owner questions
- Is a hidden meaning that only foreign speakers see enough, or must the name carry 두 개 더?
- Is "an invented-looking name that is a real Greek or Norwegian word" an acceptable story for a Korean club app?
Board cards
| Rank | Latin | Hangul | One line (at most 100 chars) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazi | 마지 | Greek "together"; clean store screen; hidden meaning invisible in Korea |
| 2 | Enda | 엔다 | Norwegian "still / even more"; clean in both stores; reads as a name |
| 3 | Mera | 메라 | Swedish "more", Hindi "my"; tiny calorie-tracker clash, MedMera Bank |
| 0 | Pallo | 팔로 | Finnish "ball"; 팔로 means "follow" in Korean app slang |
| 0 | Piu | 피우 | Italian "più", more; 피우 is a smoking verb stem in Korean |
| 0 | Tumo | 투모 | TwoMore clipped; TUMO Armenia owns the name in education |
| 0 | Dasi | 다시 | Korean "again" is the brand idea; Hindi "dāsī" means servant |
| 0 | Kovi | 코비 | Coined; sounds like Kobe or COVID in Korean; no story |
| 0 | Samen | 사멘 | Dutch "together"; German "Samen" is also semen: fails the meaning check |
| 0 | Daha | 다하 | Turkish "more"; a Turkish shopping app "Daha Daha" holds the name |
Not checked
Trademark in every class and market; Google Play; native-speaker meaning checks (Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Greek, Norwegian, Finnish); web searches for Enda, Piu, Pallo, Mazi, Dasi; .app and get<name>.com availability; RDAP calls that returned 403 (throttled).