Naming a new project is always a mix of strategy, intuition, and community input — and “Checkout Summit” was no different. I wanted something that instantly conveyed both the topic and the format, something that felt professional but also memorable. After a few AI-powered brainstorming sessions, some feedback in my mastermind group, and a healthy dose of domain paranoia, I narrowed it down to three strong contenders.
Of course, rather than deciding on my own, I did what I always do when I want honest feedback — I ran a Twitter poll. The response was clear, decisive, and pretty exciting. But behind that one tweet was a whole naming process that involved branding thinking, SEO checking, emotional reactions, and safe domain grabbing.
Here’s a quick look behind the scenes of how “Checkout Summit” came to life — and why naming a WooCommerce event isn’t as straightforward as it might seem.
The First Step: Clarity of Purpose
Before even thinking of names, I knew exactly what this event was going to be. An IRL conference focused 100% on WooCommerce development — no fluff, no distractions. That kind of clarity helped immensely during the brainstorming phase.
The goal was to build a brand around a single, clear concept. And with “summit” in mind from the beginning (I’ve always liked the way it feels like a focused, high-level meeting), I started feeding ideas into AI to see what came back.
Brainstorming With AI (And Human Sanity Checks)
AI tools can be hit or miss when it comes to naming — but they’re great at helping you generate volume. I used them to churn out variations of “checkout,” “sales,” “cart,” “conversion,” and every other related keyword.
Words like “conference,” “camp,” “expo,” “week,” “boost,” and “mastery” also appeared in a lot of combos.
The idea wasn’t to find the name right away. It was to create a shortlist, find patterns, and sense which ones sounded too generic, too clever, or just too off-brand.
At this stage, I was also sharing ideas in a private mastermind group — getting immediate reactions, testing emotional impact, and crossing off anything that didn’t get at least a few nods of approval.
From 50+ Names to 3
After cutting the list down and refining what I actually wanted the name to express, three candidates emerged:
- Checkout Summit
- Cart Sessions
- Coast Conf
Each had its merits. I kinda liked “Cart Sessions”. “Coast Conf” was catchy but didn’t scream WooCommerce. But “Checkout Summit” just felt the most balanced — professional, clear, and search-friendly.
Still, I didn’t want to trust just my gut.
Domain Insurance
Before making anything public, I did what any cautious person would do: I bought all three .com domains.
It was a small investment for peace of mind. Once a name is out there, it can get picked up — intentionally or not. I wasn’t ready to risk losing a good one just because I tweeted too early.
Only after I had all three domains safely registered did I feel comfortable sharing the options more widely.
The Twitter Poll
Then came the decisive moment: a simple Twitter poll with the three name options. The results weren’t even close — “Checkout Summit” won by a large margin.
I wasn’t surprised, but I was still relieved. Getting public validation always helps with decision-making, especially when it aligns with your own instincts. Plus, it’s great for early visibility.
Why “Checkout Summit” Works
There’s something reassuring about this name. It doesn’t try too hard. It tells you what to expect: a focused gathering around ecommerce. It’s easy to target WooCommerce, but also leaves me with enough space to cover Shopify or other products in the future.
The word “Summit” adds a sense of professionalism, hierarchy, and depth. This isn’t just a webinar or a random session — it’s a high-level event aimed at serious store owners and developers.
It also works from an SEO perspective: clear keywords, no ambiguity, and a clean .com domain. The Twitter handle was also available; bonus points!
Naming Takeaways
Choosing a name is never just about being clever — it’s about being clear. And it’s about testing that clarity through feedback, conversation, and validation.
Here’s what helped most in this process:
- Start with clarity on format and audience
- Use AI for fast idea generation
- Test reactions in safe, trusted communities
- Secure domains early, before going public
- Let the public help finalize the choice
So yes — it’s “Checkout Summit.” And now that the name is set, I can move on to the real work: building an event worth attending.
