Checks whether it is possible to compose a given name out of chemical element symbols, like Caroline out of Carbon (C), Argon (Ar), Oxygen (O), Lithium (Li) and Neon (Ne).

elements.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
#
#  elements.py
#
#  Checks whether it is possible to compose a given name out of chemical
#  element symbols, like Caroline out of Carbon (C), Argon (Ar), Oxygen (O)
#  Lithium (Li) and Neon (Ne).
#
#  The implementation consists of a simple backtracking algorithm.
#
#  Usage:
#  python elements.py [name]

import sys

ELEMENTS = [
	'H','He','Li','Be','B','C','N','O','F','Ne','Na','Mg','Al',
	'Si','P','S','Cl','Ar','K','Ca','Sc','Ti','V','Cr','Mn','Fe',
	'Co','Ni','Cu','Zn','Ga','Ge','As','Se','Br','Kr','Rb','Sr',
	'Y','Zr','Nb','Mo','Tc','Ru','Rh','Pd','Ag','Cd','In','Sn','Sb',
	'Te','I','Xe','Cs','Ba','Hf','Ta','W','Re','Os','Ir','Pt','Au',
	'Hg','Tl','Pb','Bi','Po','At','Rn','Fr','Ra','Rf','Db','Sg','Bh',
	'Hs','Mt','Ds','Rg','Cn','Uut','Fl','Uup','Lv','Uus','Uuo','La',
	'Ce','Pr','Nd','Pm','Sm','Eu','Gd','Tb','Dy','Ho','Er','Tm','Yb',
	'Lu','Ac','Th','Pa','U','Np','Pu','Am','Cm','Bk','Cf','Es','Fm',
	'Md','No','Lr'
]

def elements_iteration(tosearch, current):
	if tosearch == '':
		return current
		
	for i in range(3,0,-1):
		if tosearch[0:i].title() not in ELEMENTS:
			continue
		current.append(tosearch[0:i].title())
		step = elements_iteration(tosearch[i:], current)
		if step:
			return step
		else:
			current.remove(tosearch[0:i].title())

def elements(search):
	return elements_iteration(search, [])

if __name__ == '__main__':
	print(elements(sys.argv[1]))

namelist.py

#!/usr/bin/env python3
#
#  namelist.py
#
#  Does what elements.py does for a file, containing one name per line
#
#  Usage:
#  python namelist.py [filename]

import elements
import sys
total = 0
success = 0
f = open(sys.argv[1])

for line in f:
	res = elements.elements(line.strip())
	total += 1
	if res is not None:
		print(res)
		success += 1
		
print("%d out of %d, %.02f%%" % (success, total, (100*success/total)))

raphael ~ $ ./elements.py Carolin
['C', 'Ar', 'O', 'Li', 'N']
raphael ~ $ ./elements.py Pauline
['Pa', 'U', 'Li', 'Ne']
raphael ~ $ ./elements.py Nicolas
['Ni', 'Co', 'La', 'S']