Each page has a Landing · Taker app · Admin switch in the header, so one direction shows the whole product. The landing page sells the 7-day pass. The taker app has a working five-question drill with a timer, explanations and a score. The admin view covers question imports, school rankings and payments. Content and numbers are the same everywhere. Only the character, layout and motion change. Every direction uses OED as the brand for now, except Direction 9, which uses the working name Nootcher. Name candidates are listed further down.
Direction 1
Gold Seal
Built from Ardie's draft
Ardie's blue and gold, refined. Royal blue with a single gold accent, and the draft's tagline "Practice. Prepare. Pass." A seal whose ring and check draw themselves, a gold shine sweeping the main button, and a PASSED stamp that lands only when you reach 80%. Official and trustworthy, without the clip-art.
Barlow Condensed + Plus Jakarta Sans · light · seal animation
The sheet every examinee knows. Ruled paper, pencil yellow, pen blue. An answer sheet fills itself in on the hero, programs are test booklets, choices are ovals that shade in, wrong answers get struck through, and the leaderboard is posted results.
Bricolage Grotesque + DM Sans + IBM Plex Mono · light
Review as a sport. Night mode, a volt accent, levels and streaks. "+10 XP" floats up on a right answer, a wrong one shakes, topics are a level map, the top three stand on a podium, and clearing a topic rains confetti. Built for phone-native takers in their twenties.
Warm, local, together, now in Whetstone colours. Sage, forest and brass replace cream, mango and teal, so the friendly ideas read calmer and more grown-up. A study group chat cheers in the hero, programs are jeepney route signboards, stickers slap on as you answer, and the board celebrates towns from every province. A toggle in the header switches back to the original colours.
Calm, focused, premium. Sage, forest and brass with a quiet serif. A brass edge hones across the hero, programs read like an editorial index, the drill is a focus room with a breathing timer ring, and topic bars taper like blades.
Instrument Serif + Inter Tight · light · slow motion
Four more directions made for students: cute, shareable and built around a mascot that reacts while you drill. Each mascot is original and drawn in code, so it can move and change mood.
Direction 6
Hive
Busy bees pass. Honey yellow and berry with an original bee mascot. The bee flies a dotted loop and lands on the main button, topics fill a honeycomb with honey, and the price is a honey jar. In the drill the bee wiggles on a right answer and drops honey into a jar, gets dizzy on a wrong one, and waves a flag when you pass.
Study buddies for late-night review. An original cat and dog keep you company. The cat sits on the question card and watches your cursor, and the dog cheers every right answer with a wag. Topics fill like moon phases, and the 7-day pass becomes 7 nights of focus.
Mochiy Pop One + M PLUS Rounded 1c · lavender · cat and dog mascots
A study pet that grows with you. An original buddy hatches on day 1 and graduates on day 7, and every right answer feeds it a snack. Each exam comes with its own outfit, topics unlock accessories, and a finished week ends in a story card made for sharing.
The Noot Note brand, cleaned up. Teal, coral and mustard on cream, with a redrawn penguin mascot called Mochi and the hidden-face wordmark from the Noot Note hackathon deck. Contrast is fixed, the fonts are cut to one family, the squiggles are gone, and the pet economy (coins, energy, outfits) carries over. A switch in the header still tries other Noot-family names in the logo.
Poppins · light · penguin mascot · based on Noot Note
Noot Note was made by a six-person hackathon team. Its name, wordmark and penguin need written consent from all six creators before OED can use them. The full brand audit, with contrast checks and fixes, is in docs/01-brand/noot-note-audit.md.
The same in every direction
Four programs: Civil Service, Social Work, Criminology and Education (LET). PHP 250 per program for 7 days.
One sample taker, Ana Reyes from Naga City, rank 3 of 128. Schools and names are made up.
The drill uses five real Civil Service Analytical Ability items. You need 80% to open the next topic.
The admin import shows the checks Ardie's spreadsheets will go through: a wrong answer letter, a duplicate question, and "All of the above" breaking when choices are shuffled.
Pick one direction, or mix parts of two. The rest of the prototype will be rebuilt in it.
Market and positioning
A summary of research done on 9 Oct 2026. Most prices come from the sellers' own pages, and some come from a competitor's blog. Treat them as signals to recheck before any public claim.
Who takes these exams
ExamTakers a yearNational pass rateNext sitting
Civil Service (CSC)About 650,00012% to 16%14 Mar 2027. Applications open 2 Nov 2026
Teachers (LET)About 220,00051% to 73%2027 dates not yet published
Criminology (CLE)About 75,00058% to 66%2027 dates not yet published
Social Work (SWLE)About 11,000About 76%One sitting a year, usually September
Who we compete with
PlayerWhat it isPriceWhere we beat it
Super Tutor PHAI review app. Civil Service, LET and many moreFrom PHP 49 a week for one exam, up to yearly plansNo Criminology or Social Work. Its explanations are AI-written
LisensyaPrepPDF reviewers with answer explanationsPHP 249 one-timeNo timer, no topic scores, no ranking
Reviewer appsFree apps with ads, some work offlineFree, paid upgradesTheir own terms say content is AI-made and may be wrong
Review centersClassroom and online lectures over many weeksPHP 2,500 to 15,000 plus travelWe cost a fraction, need no travel, and fit any schedule
Free reviewsUniversity, LGU, YouTube and Facebook groupsFreeSeasonal, limited seats, no tracking, scam risk in groups
The opening
Criminology and Social Work have no real drill app. That is about 85,000 takers a year using books, centers and Facebook.
Questions written by a teacher are a trust advantage. Several competitors admit their content is AI-generated.
No one ranks schools. Deans already care about PRC's top schools list, which gives Ardie a reason to visit campuses.
No one sells a one-week sprint. Apps sell months and years, and centers sell 16-week seasons.
Civil Service pain is extreme. Only about 1 in 7 pass, and most products are generic question dumps.
For Filipino examinees who study on their phones, OED is the 7-day drill sprint that shows exactly which topics will cost you the exam, with questions written by a real teacher.
First group to win: Civil Service Professional takers for the 14 March 2027 exam, reached through LGUs. It is the biggest group, it has the lowest pass rate, and our December launch lands right after applications open. LET comes second, through school visits, where Ardie's credibility as an educator is strongest.
Know your weak topicsScores per topic, with a clear next step.
Practice like the real examTimed, shuffled, and weighted like the official subjects.
Written by a teacherEvery explanation comes from a person, not a machine.
Works anywherePhone-first and light on data, with QR Ph payment. No travel.
Climb the boardNational top 10 and school rankings, reset every month.
Price check for Ardie
PHP 250 for 7 days is about PHP 36 a day. That is cheap next to review centers and about the price of one reviewer book. It is expensive next to apps. Super Tutor's own site now lists a one-exam plan from PHP 49 a week, so our week costs about five times its entry price. A taker who needs four weeks would pay PHP 1,000. Sell the 7 days as a sprint, and consider a discounted renewal or a 4-week bundle. This is Ardie's decision.
Possible names
Working name
Nootcher was picked on 9 Oct 2026 (decision D-015). It becomes final when Ardie approves it and the Noot Note creators agree in writing. The list below stays for reference.
These are English, app-style names, the way Duolingo, Preply, Quizlet and Kahoot are named, plus a Noot family built on the Noot Note hackathon brand. Every candidate was checked for domains on 9 Oct 2026, and the strongest were searched for existing apps and companies. A clear result is not a trademark search, so finalists still need IPOPHL and DTI checks.
How competitors name themselves
In the Philippines
Super Tutor PH · LisensyaPrep · LETPass · myLET · CSE Reviewer Hub · CSC Exam Philippines · Civil Service Reviewer 2026 · REO Review · PNLE Reviewer PH · MTLE Reviewer PH · PassPNLE · Purrple Academy · TeacherPH · Carl Balita Review Center · Top Rank Academy · CERA · Excel · Prep Up · RA Gapuz · Royal Pentagon · Lighthouse Review Center · Brain Train · St. Louis Review Center · PCCr Review Center · Amici Review Center · Top Notchers
Local names mostly describe the exam and add "Reviewer PH", "Review Center" or "Pass". The apps people love are named differently. Duolingo and Memrise blend two words. Preply and Quizlet add a friendly ending to a real word. Kahoot and Anki are just fun to say. None of them names an exam.
Crowded patterns we stay away from
"[Exam] Reviewer PH"
The most crowded pattern in the app stores.
"Review Center" and "Academy"
Says classroom, not app.
"Pass"
LETPass, PassPNLE, prcpassers.
"Prep"
LisensyaPrep, Prep Up, Pocket Prep, PrepScholar.
"Top", "Rank", "Notch"
Top Rank, Top Notchers, and every topnotcher list.
An exam acronym or year
LET, CSE, 2026. It limits growth and dates fast.
"Brain", "Excel", "Master", founder names
Typical of review centers.
"-ify", "Hub", "PH" at the end
Examify, CSE Reviewer Hub, Super Tutor PH.
What makes a good name here
Two or three syllables, easy to say with a Filipino accent and easy to spell after hearing it once.
About drilling or passing, without naming one exam, so it can grow to other exams.
Has a character in it, or room for a mascot students will share.
No clash with a known app, and no rude or awkward reading.
A domain path: the .com, the .app, or the .ph.
Shortlist
Working name · chosen 9 Oct
Nootcher
A penguin topnotcher: board-exam culture plus the Noot Note mascot. nootcher.com is free. Pending Ardie and the Noot Note team.
Noot family · fits the sprint
Nootcamp
A 7-day drill camp with your penguin. nootcamp.com is free.
Mascot · catchiest
Drillbee
Nods to the quiz bee every Filipino student knows, with a busy-bee mascot. drillbee.app is free.
Mascot · says the goal
Passbee
The same bee, with "pass" built in. passbee.app is free.
Says the product
Passweek
One week to get pass-ready. passweek.com is free.
Blend · smartest
Mindrill
A drill for your mind, written MinDrill. mindrill.app is free.
Short · game-like
Acemode
Switch on ace mode before exam day. acemode.app is free.
Blend · Memrise-style
Drillrise
Drill a little, rise a little. drillrise.com is free.
Every English name we considered
free unregistered .ph to confirm at dot.ph taken registered
NameMeaningNotesDomains
NootcherNoot family · ShortlistNoot + topnotcherA penguin topnotcher. Board-exam culture and the Noot Note mascot in one word. No app uses it, and the .com is free. Needs written consent from the Noot Note team..com.ph.app
NootcampNoot family · ShortlistNoot + bootcampA 7-day drill camp with your penguin. No app uses it, and the .com is free. Needs written consent from the Noot Note team..com.ph.app
MindrillBlend · ShortlistMind + drillSmart and on topic: a drill for your mind. No app uses it. Some will read it "mind-rill". Write it MinDrill in the logo..com.ph.app
DrillriseBlend · ShortlistDrill + riseMemrise-style: drill a little, rise a little. No app uses it, and the .com is free. A little hard to say quickly..com.ph.app
PassbeeMascot · ShortlistPass + beeA bee mascot with "pass" built in. No app uses it. Crowded "Pass" pattern..com.ph.app
DrillbeeMascot · ShortlistDrill + beeNods to the quiz bee every Filipino student grew up with, without the generic phrase. A busy-bee mascot writes itself. No app uses it..com.ph.app
AcemodeShort · ShortlistAce + modeGame-like: switch on ace mode before the exam. No app uses it. "Ace mode" is a common gaming phrase..com.ph.app
PassweekSays the product · ShortlistOne week to get pass-readySays the product in one word. No app uses it, and the .com is free. Crowded "Pass" pattern..com.ph.app
NootDrillNoot family · StrongNoot + drillSays exactly what the app does. The .com is free..com.ph.app
Noot NoteNoot family · StrongThe original hackathon nameAlready designed, and the .com is free. About notes, not drills. Needs consent from all six creators..com.ph.app
PassriseBlend · StrongPass + riseUpbeat, and no app uses it. Crowded "Pass" pattern..com.ph.app
NootPassNoot family · PossibleNoot + passThe goal in the name. The .com is free. Crowded "Pass" pattern..com.ph.app
NootQuizNoot family · PossibleNoot + quizPlain and clear. The .com is free..com.ph.app
NootSprintNoot family · PossibleNoot + sprintThe 7-day sprint. The .com is free..com.ph.app
NootExamNoot family · PossibleNoot + examPlain. The .com is free..com.ph.app
NootbookNoot family · PossibleNoot + notebookA pun on notebook. Leans to notes, and the .com is taken..com.ph.app
NootersNoot family · PossibleWhat users call their penguinsBetter as the name for the community than for the app..com.ph.app
DrilliantBlend · PossibleDrill + brilliantA pun people remember. One letter from Brilliant.org, a famous learning app. It may look like a copy..com.ph.app
ExamhiveBlend · PossibleExam + hiveA busy hive of takers. Sounds close to ExamHUB, a Sri Lankan exam app with 900,000 downloads..com.ph.app
BoardstarBlend · PossibleBoard exam + starSpeaks to board exams. Civil Service is not a board exam, and "board" also suggests company boards..com.ph.app
DrillbloomBlend · PossibleDrill + bloomSoft and hopeful. The .com is free..com.ph.app
ExamloopBlend · PossibleExam + loopPractice in loops until it sticks..com.ph.app
DrillbirdMascot · PossibleDrill + birdA small bird mascot..com.ph.app
XamoShort · PossibleShort for examFour letters, modern, unlike anything local. Hard to say: "ksa-mo", "sha-mo" or "za-mo". The exam meaning is not obvious..com.ph.app
DrillitShort · Possible"Drill it"A command that is also a name. A common phrase, so a weak trademark. A "Drill It!" game exists..com.ph.app
KataShort · PossiblePractice forms repeated until automatic, from martial artsA drill idea no exam brand uses. A generic word used by other learning apps, and it does not point to exams..com.ph.appkataph.com
DrillweekSays the product · PossibleA week of drillsSame idea without "Pass". The .com is free. Reads a little like military drill weekend..com.ph.app
DrillsprintSays the product · PossibleA short, intense push of drillsThe 7-day sprint, and the .com is free..com.ph.app
Exam SprintSays the product · PossibleA short, intense pushMatches the 7-day pass..com.ph.app
DrillwiseSays the product · PossibleDrilling, done smartlyKeeps "drill" from the original name..com.ph.app
PassPaceSays the product · PossibleOn pace to passDaily progress and timing. Crowded "Pass" pattern..com.ph.app
Final WeekSays the product · PossibleThe week before the examPlain..com.ph.app
Dry RunSays the product · PossibleA rehearsal before the real thingClear and honest. Generic..com.ph.app
ScrimSays the product · PossibleA practice match in esportsSpeaks to the Mobile Legends generation. Niche outside gamers..com.ph.app
NotchSays the product · PossibleFrom "topnotcher"Short and sporty. The review-center cliché, and a Toronto software firm uses it..com.ph.appnotchph.com
OEDSays the product · PossibleOnline Examination Drill, the working nameClear and already in use. Hard to remember, and it is also the Oxford English Dictionary.oedph.com
Noot NootNoot family · DroppedThe penguin honkThe signature sound of Pingu, a character owned by Mattel..com.ph.app
NexamBlend · DroppedNext + examNexam is a Canadian online exam platform for licensing bodies, the same field..com.ph.app
UpnotchBlend · DroppedUp a notchUpnotch is a live US mentorship app with this exact name..com.ph.app
QuizbeeMascot · DroppedThe school quiz beeSeveral quiz apps already use it, and "quiz bee" is too generic to protect..com.ph.appgetquizbee.com
PasspupMascot · DroppedPass + pupReads as "Pass PUP", the Polytechnic University of the Philippines entrance test..com.ph.app
RepsShort · DroppedRepetitions, as at the gymReps is an existing workplace training app, and many will read it as sales reps..com.ph.app
KwizlyShort · DroppedQuiz + -lySounds the same as the many apps called Quizly, and close to Kwizie..com.ph.app
HoneShort · DroppedTo sharpenHone is a US learning platform..com.ph.app
FlintShort · DroppedA stone that makes sparksFlint is a US AI tutoring platform..com.ph.app
PodiumSays the product · DroppedThe top-three standPodium is a US software company hiring in the Philippines..com.ph.app
PassersSays the product · Dropped"Board passers"Sounds like a results site, and the PRC has flagged prcpassers.com..com.ph.app
Earlier Tagalog ideas (55 names, not preferred)
NameMeaningNotesDomains
BweloTagalogMomentum; gearing upExactly what a 7-day sprint gives you. Casual and catchy. Also spelled "buwelo"..com.ph.appbweloph.com
GalinganTagalog"Do your best!"The cheer every taker hears before the exam. Warm and encouraging..com.ph.appgalinganph.com
SagutanTagalogAnswering; a practice setWhat you actually do on the app, and the only real word with a free .com. Can also mean a heated back-and-forth. Mild..com.ph.appsagutanph.comtrysagutan.com
SapulTagalogA direct hit; "nailed it"What you shout when you get one right. Punchy, two syllables, and no exam brand uses it. An old TV5 show, "Sapul sa Singko", ended in 2012..com.ph.appsapulph.comgetsapul.com
TumpakTagalogExactly rightA classic word with charm. Says "correct" without sounding like school..com.ph.apptumpakph.com
AndamOther Philippine languageCebuano: readyReaches Visayas and Mindanao, where most competitors don't speak to anyone. In Tagalog it can mean dread..com.ph.appandamph.com
HasaTagalogTo sharpenShort, unusual, and true to the method..com.ph.apphasaph.comhasaan.app
HasaanTagalogA whetstone; a sharpening placePairs with the Whetstone direction..com.ph.app
SanayTagalogPracticed; used to itNames the result of drilling..com.ph.appsanayph.com
SanayanTagalogA training groundReads like "the practice place"..com.ph.app
SusiTagalogKey, as in answer keyThe key to passing. Short and friendly..com.ph.appsusiph.comusesusi.com
TiyagaTagalogPerseveranceEchoes the saying that effort always pays off..com.ph.apptiyagaph.com
AlabTagalogFlame; passionFlips to "bala", as in "may bala ka na": you're prepared. An old basketball team was called Alab Pilipinas..com.ph.appalabph.app
AntasTagalogLevelFits the Arena levels. Sounds a little like the Angkas app..com.ph.appantasph.com
BaitangTagalogGrade level; rungFeels like school..com.ph.app
BaonTagalogWhat you bring to schoolWhat you carry into the exam. Warm and familiar. A Filipino meal-subscription app is called Baon..com.ph.appbaonph.app
DaogOther Philippine languageCebuano: to winShort and strong in Cebuano. In Bikol it means defeated..com.ph.app
DunongTagalogWisdomSerious..com.ph.app
EnsayoTagalogRehearsalThe drill is the rehearsal..com.ph.app
GanapTagalogFull-fledged; also "what's happening""Ganap na guro" means a full teacher. Double meaning. A 1930s political party and a choir used the name..com.ph.app
HagdanTagalogLadderClimb one step at a time..com.ph.app
HatawTagalogAll-out effortFun to say. Also the name of a national tabloid..com.ph.app
HinogTagalogRipe; readyFunny in a good way, or just funny..com.ph.app
HustoTagalogEnough; just rightPlain..com.ph.app
KayaninTagalogTo see it throughDetermined, but hard to spell for some..com.ph.app
LiyabTagalogFlameEnergetic, and liyab.app is free..com.ph.app
MarkaTagalogGrade or scoreFlips to "karma". Memorable. Also means "stain"..com.ph.app
PasadaTagalogA jeepney's runSounds almost like "pasado". Witty, but some will read it as a typo..com.ph.app
PasadoTagalogPassedThe word every examinee wants to hear. Taken on .com, .ph and .app. Needs a variant..com.ph.apppasadoko.comgetpasado.com
RepasoTagalogReview (from Spanish)Very on topic, a little old-fashioned..com.ph.app
RurokTagalogSummitFormal..com.ph.app
SadyaOther Philippine languageKapampangan: ready (unverified)Needs a native speaker to confirm. Tagalog for "on purpose"..com.ph.app
SaganaOther Philippine languageIlocano: preparationA hidden meaning for the north. Most Filipinos read it as Tagalog for "abundant"..com.ph.app
SiguradoTagalogSureAs in "siguradong pasado". Long..com.ph.app
SiklabTagalogA sudden blazeEnergetic..com.ph.app
SipagTagalogDiligenceHonest, a little plain..com.ph.app
SipatTagalogTo aim; to look closelySubtle and calm..com.ph.app
SulayOther Philippine languageCebuano: to tryGentle; sulay.app is free..com.ph.app
TamaTagalogCorrectFlips to "mata" (eye): keep your eye on the right answer. Read backwards it is "amat", slang for tipsy. Mild..com.ph.apptamasagot.comtamamata.com
TanglawTagalogA guiding lightFormal and warm. A devotional app and a charity's learning system use it..com.ph.app
TudlaTagalogTargetAn uncommon word that stands out..com.ph.app
TuonTagalogFocusOne quiet syllable. All bare domains are taken..com.ph.apptuonph.com
AngatTagalogTo riseLinked to Angat Buhay, and it rearranges to "tanga" (stupid)..com.ph.app
BihasaTagalogSkilled; expertBihasa PH is already a learning company..com.ph.appbihasaph.com
HandaTagalogReadyOne clear promise. The DOST disaster-preparedness app is called HANDA..com.ph.apphandaph.app
LabanTagalog"Fight!"Strongly tied to the political Laban sign..com.ph.app
SabakTagalogTo dive into a fightCan mean pregnant, and is one letter from "sibak"..com.ph.app
SaktoTagalogExactly rightGCash sells a loan called "GLoan Sakto"..com.ph.appsaktoph.com
SwakTagalogFits perfectlySwak Superapp is rated for gambling content..com.ph.app
TalaTagalogStar; a recordTala is a large lending app..com.ph.app
TsekTagalog"Check" in Filipino spellingTsek.ph is the national election fact-check group..com.ph.apptsekph.com
TuktokTagalogPeakSounds like the Toktok app and TikTok..com.ph.app
WagiTagalogWinnerSearches lead to WAGI777, a betting site..com.ph.appwagiph.app
Letter flips
Tama↔Mata
Correct and eye. "Keep your eye on the right answer."
Talas↔Salat
Sharpness and lacking. A tagline: "From lacking to sharp."
Handa↔Dahan
Ready and slowly. "Slowly, then ready."
Alab↔Bala
Flame and ammo. "May bala ka na" means you're prepared.
Marka↔Karma
Score and karma. Your effort comes back to you.
Pasa↔Sapa
Pass and stream. Steady flow.
Isip↔Sipi
Mind and excerpt. Thinking through a passage.
Sagot↔Tagos
Avoid. "Tagos" is slang for a period stain showing through clothes.
Ulit↔Tuli
Avoid. "Tuli" means circumcision.
Angat↔Tanga
Avoid. "Tanga" means stupid.
Sagot↔Gasto
Avoid. "Gasto" means expense, a poor link for a paid product.
Words to avoid
Kodigo
A cheat sheet.
Pasang-awa
Passed only by mercy.
Bagsak
Failed.
Tsamba
A lucky guess.
Puyat
Sleepless.
Pasaway
Unruly or stubborn.
Lodi, Petmalu, Werpa
Reversed slang from 2017. Dated now.
Examigo, Readyna, Pasaya, Tsekmate
Pun blends. Fun once, cringe after.
CSC or PRC in the name
The CSC and PRC warn against unofficial use of their names and logos.
Mongol
The pencil every examinee uses, and a registered brand.
Taken on .com, .ph and .app: Pasado, Topnotcher, Galing, Sagot, Husay, Sikap, Bida, Abante, Talas, Board Ready, Forge, Flint, Keen, Clutch, Podium, Laurel, Summit, Beacon, Lodestar, Warmup, Panalo, Tulay, Tapat, Dalisay, Sulo, Sulong, Talino, Tuklas, Aralan, Oval and Spar.
Next
Ardie picks one direction, or two to mix, and three favourite names.
We confirm domains, then search IPOPHL trademarks, DTI business names, and Facebook and Instagram handles.
We say each finalist aloud to five examinees and ask what they think the app does.
The chosen direction becomes the full prototype under the chosen name.