A few days ago, Tyler McIntyre tweeted a simple anaysis of unicorn startups, and their names.

https://twitter.com/tmcpro/status/1256362051129225217/

Most people have a pretty good intuition of how the most common letters in english, e t i being more common and x, q, z being less common.

But what about the first letter of english words? If you recall the encyclopedia section of the public library, S is a little more common.

Looking at the default dictonary on POSIX compliant systems, you can find the most common letter in english words.

Rather than trying to cross refference the two charts, what if we could visualize the shift in ranks?

Way more unicorns start with ‘G’, a nice voiced pre-velar stop, than enlish words. ‘G’ jumped from 16th most common in English to 6th in Unicorns.

For naming unicorns, the letter U is under represented for unicorns, compared to how many words start with ‘U’.

A couple of ‘U’ suggestions for your next unicorn:

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