Love Calculator

Type two names and this free love calculator gives you a love percentage in one tap, with a breakdown for chemistry, communication, adventure and staying power. It is fair: the same two names always get the same score, in either order. Add birthdays to mix in your zodiac match, switch to crush mode to hide names when you share, and send the result as a link or an image. It is for fun, and it says so.

How does the love calculator work?

1. Type both names. First names work best. Capital letters, spaces and accents do not change the score, so Zoë and zoe get the same result.
2. Add birthdays if you like. Tap Add birthdays for a zodiac match. The calculator finds both sun signs and mixes your zodiac compatibility into the score.
3. Tap Calculate. You get a love percentage, a short reading and four smaller scores. Under them you see what two schoolyard classics say about your names: FLAMES and the TRUE LOVE count.
4. Share it or try other names. Send the result as a link or save it as an image for your story. Every pair you check lands in Your matches, ranked from highest score to lowest.

How is the love percentage calculated?

Most love calculators either pick a random number or keep the method secret. Ours mixes three things, and none of them is random:

• A name match. We turn both names, sorted into alphabetical order, into a number. Sorting first is what makes the score fair: Sam and Alex get exactly the same result as Alex and Sam.
• The TRUE LOVE count. Count how often the letters T, R, U and E appear in both names, then the letters L, O, V and E. Put the two numbers side by side and you get a percentage. People have done this on notebook paper for decades.
• Your zodiac match, if you add both birthdays. It uses the same sign-pair scores as our zodiac compatibility calculator.

The result also shows your FLAMES letter. FLAMES stands for Friends, Lovers, Affection, Marriage, Enemies and Siblings. You cross out the letters both names share, count the letters left over, and use that number to count around the word FLAMES, striking out one letter each time, until only one letter is left. It decides nothing, but it is a lot of fun to argue about.

What is crush mode?

Crush mode is for checking someone you have not told yet. It changes the next steps to small, low-pressure moves, like asking a real question or suggesting a call. It also turns on Initials only when I share, so the link and the image show initials only. Your friends see the score, not your crush's full name. If you want help with the talking part, try our 21 questions game or these questions to ask your boyfriend and girlfriend.

Is a love calculator accurate?

No. A love calculator is a game, not a test. Letters in a name say nothing about how two people treat each other. What does matter is easier to see in real life: whether you are curious about each other, how you handle a bad day, and whether you keep showing up. Relationship researchers at the Gottman Institute call one part of this turning toward each other: noticing small bids for attention and answering them.

So enjoy the number, send it to your person, and then do something that tells you more. A good start is our couples quiz, the love language quiz or the 36 questions to fall in love.

What should we do after the calculator?

• Play something together. A game shows you more about someone than a percentage. See our list of games to play on FaceTime if you are not in the same place.
• Ask one good question. The result card suggests one. Tap the shuffle button for another.
• Compare your signs. If you are into astrology, open the zodiac compatibility calculator for a full reading for your two signs.