Ever hear a name so good it made you feel something you couldn’t explain?

Welcome to The Envy League — the podcast that turns jealousy into creative ideas of your own.

In this episode, host Matthew Doherty explores the craft, chaos, and envy-fueled obsession behind naming and why the best names make you feel something before they even make sense. From Labubus, Voldemort, and Gestrals in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Sweetgreen, The Hunger Games, and his own naming conventions in his YA Fantasy Novel Nimbus and the Beast Within, we unpack how the perfect name isn’t just clever and made with puns, it’s emotional architecture.

Matthew breaks down how to use sound, rhythm, emotion, portmanteaus, worldbuilding, and linguistic tricks to land names that feel like they’ve always existed even if you just made them up.

Whether you're naming a novel, a new character, a tech startup, or just the group chat, this episode unpacks how creative envy turns into unforgettable names that stick in your head and live rent-free.

So hit play. This one’s got your name on it.