evolutionary-naming
Installation
SKILL.md
Evolutionary Naming
Overview
Naming is a process, not a single step. Names evolve through 7 progressive steps grouped into 3 phases. Match the depth of work to the user's actual story — don't run the full pipeline every time.
This skill is advisory. It reads code and proposes renames, transitions, and the commit message you'd write for each — it does not edit files or run git. The user applies the changes. Phrase every transition as a proposal, and suggest the commit message they would use, rather than claiming the rename is done.
Based on Arlo Belshee's "Naming as a Process" (CC BY 3.0). Updated edition: digdeeproots.com.
The Three Phases
| Phase | Steps | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Insight → Name | Missing → Nonsense → Honest → Honest and Complete | Universal. Pure naming. No structural change. Safe to walk continuously. |
| Phase 2: Name → Structure | Honest and Complete → Does the Right Thing | Codebase-specific. Requires structural refactoring. Ask permission. |
| Phase 3: Combine for Design | Does the Right Thing → Intent → Domain Abstraction | Requires reading call sites and domain context. Ask permission. |