Love calculator

How the love calculator works

This is a game: it measures neither love nor real compatibility. It removes accents, punctuation and capital letters from the two names, puts them in alphabetical order and computes a numeric fingerprint (a hash). That fingerprint becomes a number from 20 to 100.

\[ \text{percentage} = 20 + (\text{hash} \ (\text{name1} + \text{name2}) \ \bmod \ 81) \]

So "Emma + Liam" and "Liam + Emma" give exactly the same score, and so does "Zoë" versus "Zoe".

Compatibility levels

What really matters in a relationship

• Respect and trust, long before any name.
• Communication: saying how you feel without hurting.
• Shared values (goals, family, money).
• Time together and the ability to make up after a fight.

Use this calculator to have fun with friends, not to decide your love life.

Love calculator: playing with names

The love calculator is mostly a party game. You type two names and get a percentage. So the result becomes an excuse to laugh.

The calculation follows a fixed rule applied to the letters of the names. Therefore, the same two names always give the same score. If you change one letter, the score changes too.

For example, you can try the name of a movie character, a singer or a friend. Then compare the scores to build a funny ranking.

Love calculator versus relationship science

Research on lasting couples points to other factors. No serious study has linked a name to the success of a relationship.

So take the percentage for what it is: a wink.

Love calculator: ways to play

This game works well in a group. For example, everyone writes two names on a slip of paper, then the group guesses the score before you calculate it.

• Try your name with your friends' names.
• Set up a challenge: the highest score wins.
• Use it as an icebreaker at a party.

For similar games, try the personality test, the baby names browser or the wheel spinner. Finally, remember that this is entertainment.

Love calculator: reading the percentage

Read the percentage as a wink. Here is how to interpret the broad ranges for fun.

So a low score condemns nobody. When you get 25%, laugh about it and try another pair. Just do not show the result to someone who might take it seriously.

Love calculator: group games

The love calculator gets funnier with a crowd. So a party can turn into a small tournament.

1. Each player writes two names on a folded slip of paper.
2. The group guesses the most likely score.
3. One player types the names into the tool.
4. Whoever lands closest to the real score earns a point.

Also, you can stretch the game with famous pairs. For example, try couples from movies, shows or history. Then rank them from the highest score to the lowest.

Finally, keep it light. A name game says nothing about anyone's real feelings.

Love calculator: the real test is conversation

If you truly want to know whether it works with someone, talk to that person. Ask simple questions: what they enjoy, what bothers them, what they hope for. Then listen to the answers.

Also, watch how you handle a disagreement. How you make up matters more than never fighting. So use the love calculator for laughs, and then ask the real questions.