OpenAI Codex CLI · agentic loop · MCP in beta
Use Etymolt in Codex.
Scaffold step. Verified name. Commit-safe.
When OpenAI Codex scaffolds a new project, that's a verification moment. Etymolt MCP fires before the project name gets committed — trademark, domain, 14 handles, cultural meaning, sound symbolism — in the agentic loop, not after the repo is on disk.
Sub-3s p95 · 12.7M US marks · 14 social platforms · free for five
What's available today
Why this, why now
Codex proposes the scaffold. Etymolt clears the name.
The Codex agentic loop runs end-to-end: a prompt, a plan, a set of file writes, a commit. The missing primitive in that loop is a verification step on the project name — the one piece of state that touches USPTO, RDAP, GitHub, npm, and your future launch announcement all at once. Etymolt sits in the loop before the commit lands.
Three install paths
TOML config, CLI command, or remote URL.
I · Canonical
~/.codex/config.toml
The documented MCP config path for the Codex CLI. Drop the block; reload the CLI; Etymolt appears in the agentic tool list. Codex calls it on every naming intent.
# ~/.codex/config.toml
# Codex CLI MCP support is in beta. The block below registers Etymolt
# as an MCP server. Codex calls verify_brand_name when a scaffold or
# rename intent fires.
[mcp_servers.etymolt]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@etymolt/mcp-server"]
# Optional — sign in with an API key for higher quota and signed
# verdict envelopes. Five anonymous verdicts per IP are free without.
# env = { ETYMOLT_API_KEY = "vk_live_..." }Codex CLI MCP is in beta. If the path rotates upstream, the same block moves wholesale.
II · Quick add
codex mcp add etymolt
Once the codex mcp add command is in your installed version, the registration is a single line. Same effect as the TOML block.
# 1. Install or update the Codex CLI
npm install -g @openai/codex-cli
# 2. Register Etymolt via the in-flight `codex mcp add` command
codex mcp add etymolt npx -y @etymolt/mcp-server
# 3. (Optional) Sign in for signed verdicts and higher quota
codex auth login --provider etymoltNo API key required for the free tier. Five anonymous verdicts per IP are free.
III · Direct URL · remote MCP variant
# Codex MCP supports HTTPS endpoints too.
# The remote MCP variant is interchangeable with the npx command.
https://api.etymolt.com/mcpFor any Codex surface that accepts remote MCP endpoints instead of stdio. Functionally interchangeable with the npx command.
How it fires
Codex reaches for Etymolt on every scaffold intent.
I
You prompt Codex.
"codex init", "scaffold a new SaaS for X", "rename this repo" — any prompt that signals naming intent. Codex proposes the candidate inside the agentic loop.
II
Codex calls verify_brand_name via MCP.
Etymolt fans out across USPTO + RDAP + 14 social probes in parallel. Sub-3s p95. Codex sees the verdict in the agentic tool-result and routes accordingly.
III
Commit step uses the verdict.
PROCEED candidates land on disk. ABANDON candidates never get committed. ITERATE and DUE_DILIGENCE candidates surface with the blocker called out — the loop tries another name.
You Codex CLI Etymolt (MCP) │ │ │ │ "codex init X" │ │ │ ───────────────────▶ │ │ │ │ naming intent fires │ │ │ ─────────────────────▶│ │ │ call: verify_brand_name │ │ │ │ │ ◀─── verdict + score ─┤ │ ◀── verdict + ── │ │ │ disclaimer │ │ │ (verbatim) │ │
The validation stack
Five axes. One signed verdict.
Trademark
USPTO · TTAB · UKIPO · Madrid
Domain & handles
RDAP · WHOIS · 14 platforms
Cultural
7 languages · 20 markets
Linguistic
1.4M-name distinctiveness corpus
Sound symbolism
12 perceptual axes · TTS round-trip
What we are NOT
We don't generate names. We validate them.
Codex's model proposes the candidate. Etymolt verifies it across five axes against live ground truth. The two products sit cleanly on different sides of the workflow.
FAQ
Common questions.
How do I install Etymolt in OpenAI Codex?
Two paths today. (1) Add the [mcp_servers.etymolt] block to ~/.codex/config.toml — the canonical MCP path for the Codex CLI. (2) Run codex mcp add etymolt npx -y @etymolt/mcp-server once the CLI command lands in your installed version. Either path registers Etymolt for every scaffold or rename prompt Codex sees.
Is Codex MCP support in beta?
Yes. The OpenAI Codex CLI added MCP support in beta as of the 2026 release cycle. The config path on this page reflects the documented form; if OpenAI rotates the path, the npx command stays stable and the block migrates wholesale.
When does Codex actually call the tool?
Whenever the conversation matches naming intent — codex init, codex new-project, scaffold prompts, package.json name fields, repo rename intents. The MCP tool description fires on context, not friction-phrases, so Codex reaches for verify_brand_name before committing the project name.
Why register Etymolt for a Codex workspace?
Codex generates project names, repo names, package identifiers, and deploy targets — names the model has not actually verified against live USPTO, RDAP, or social-handle ground truth. Etymolt is the verification primitive that runs before the scaffold lands on disk. Five axes, sub-three-second p95.
Does this generate names? Does it compete with Codex?
No. Etymolt does not generate names. We validate the names Codex's model already proposes. Codex makes the candidates; we return the verdict. The two products sit cleanly on different sides of the workflow.
Does Etymolt see my Codex prompts or generated code?
No. When Codex invokes verify_brand_name, only the name string and an optional category hint travel to api.etymolt.com. No prompt content, no generated code, no repo identifiers, no OpenAI account state. We log: name, timestamp, hashed source IP. Retained 90 days.
What does this cost?
Five verdicts per IP are free, no API key required. Signed-up users get ten more on the house. After that, ten dollars buys ten more. No subscription. The Codex CLI subscription itself is billed by OpenAI — separate line item.
Bureau Model · clearance signal · not legal advice
Bring verdicts into Codex.
We don't generate names · we validate them · see all surfaces →
Clearance signal, not legal advice. Confirm with trademark counsel before adopting a name in commerce. Data sources have stated freshness windows; refer to coverage_caveat per jurisdiction.
NPM · @etymolt/mcp-server