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Naming Things Last
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Don't name the thing until you understand it.
The Idea
Names frame thinking. Once you name a feature, team, or concept, the name carries it — and a wrong name misleads for months. Better to work with "the thing" until the shape is clear, then name it.
Why It Matters
- Premature names lock in half-formed ideas.
- A good name comes from understanding; a bad one from impatience.
- Renames are expensive: docs, links, code, habits.
How to Apply
- Use placeholders: "the X thing," "project Orange," "the new panel."
- When someone proposes a name early, ask what it includes and excludes.
- Let the name arrive when it feels obvious.
The Trap
Never naming it. At some point, shared language is necessary. The discipline is naming after understanding, not before.
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