How to choose a package name?

[Ned Batchelder]

What's the current thinking on how best to choose package names to
avoid conflicts?  The last discussion about it was four years ago, and
included this message from Guido:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=g:thl404422857d&selm=199801150144.UAA17896%40eric.CNRI.Reston.Va.US

He mentions a NIST registry, but on a quick look it seems abandoned.

In Java, I know which part of the namespace I already own (based on
domain registration).  I understand Guido's reservations about that
system (code changes ownership).  Do we have anything other than
"choose something reasonably unique, and search Google, Vaults of
Parnassus, Python Starship, and comp.lang.python for conflicts" as a
guideline?

--Ned.
http://www.nedbatchelder.com