At first glance Thinkmap's Visual Thesaurus might seem to only appeal to writers, editors and visual information junkies but after using it for about a year it is an amazing resource and reference tool for designers, and really, anyone who needs to come up with names, brainstorm, or generate ideas for a living. The user interface and encourages exploration and promotes lateral thinking in the creative process. A one year subscription is $19.95 but they have a demo that will allow a limited number of free searches.
