Onoma

Overview

Onoma is an iOS app available on the App Store that helps couples find baby names together. I designed and developed the entire product from concept to release — including the UX/UI design, the native iOS app in Swift/SwiftUI, and the Vapor-based backend.

The app turns the often overwhelming task of choosing a baby name into an enjoyable, collaborative experience using a card-based swipe interface that couples can use independently and asynchronously.

The Challenge

Choosing a baby name is a deeply personal decision that couples make together, yet existing solutions were either simple lists or basic voting tools. Key challenges included:

• Creating a shared decision-making experience that works both synchronously and asynchronously across devices
• Balancing detailed name information with quick, gesture-based decisions
• Designing clear visual states for offline mode, pending synchronization, and real-time collaboration
• Building a seamless experience that works reliably with or without an internet connection

The Process

As the sole designer and developer, I owned the entire product lifecycle:

• User Research: Interviewed expectant parents to understand their name-finding habits, frustrations, and needs
• Concept & Interaction Design: Developed the card-based swipe paradigm, optimized for one-handed use during everyday moments
• Prototyping & Iteration: Built and tested interactive prototypes, refining the gesture system and information architecture
• Visual Design: Created a warm, approachable visual language that feels personal yet clean
• Development: Implemented the full iOS app and backend, ensuring design and code stayed aligned throughout

The Solution

Key features designed and built:

• Card-Based Swipe Interface: Gesture navigation optimized for one-handed use, with swipe right to like, left to pass, and up for more details
• Smart Pairing Mode: Finds compatible first/middle name combinations with visual compatibility scoring
• Offline-First Architecture: Full functionality without internet — pending swipes queue and sync automatically when online
• Comprehensive Filters: Gender, popularity, length, starting letters, historical era — helping narrow thousands of names to a manageable selection
• Friend & Family Suggestions: Private web links for loved ones to contribute name ideas
• AI-Powered Semantic Search: Natural language queries to find names by meaning or association
• Custom Phonetic Analysis: Algorithm evaluating how well first and middle names sound together

Results & Impact

• Successfully launched on the App Store
• Positive user feedback on the intuitive swipe interaction and offline reliability
• The AI-powered search feature differentiates Onoma from competitors in the category
• End-to-end ownership from design to deployment demonstrated the value of combining UX and development skills