How to name a podcast? (17 tips)

The name of the podcast is the first thing someone can see on podcast listening apps, along with its artwork and maybe the name of the author.

It’s a chance to make a good first impression. No matter how good your content may be, if people don’t press “play” they will never hear any of it. Of course, you may not rely on podcast search engines for people to find you, but still… a lot of people are searching on them. For example, I’m often using Listen Notes to discover new podcasts and episodes about things I’m interested in

You ought to give some thought to coming up with a name, as it is difficult to change it later. You don’t have to commit to a name before publishing your first episode and submitting your podcast to available platforms, but when you do, be sure it is a good one!

Choosing a podcast name

In this article, we will focus on choosing the perfect podcast name. I will give you my top tips so I make it easier for you.

Of course, you don’t have to follow all of the tips listed below. Use the strategies that apply to you and your scenario. A podcast name shouldn’t be chosen solely based on ticking some boxes. It’s up to you to make a decision, so make sure it is a good one!

Meanwhile, let’s see some best practices…

1. Be creative

There’s not a podcast name police. You don’t have to necessarily adhere to the rules (as long as you don’t curse).

Just because you have seen many podcasts following a similar title format doesn’t mean you have to do the same.

You can be creative, just like you would be with your podcast artwork or coming up with episode ideas!

Try to write down, randomly, whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t have to make sense, at first. You will, at a later time, review these ideas individually and they will help you in getting closer to a good one.

2. Use your own name

We said no rules. In contrast with the idea above, you can use your real name. Especially if you are trying to build a personal brand and you are using your name a lot on social media like Instagram.

I randomly found some podcasts on Listen Notes, with only the author’s name as a title:

• Mark Levin Podcast
• The Chris Stigall Show
• The Dan Bongino Show

If people know you, they will recognize your podcast immediately.

Of course, you can use both your real name and something creative in the title, at the same time.

Example: “Off the bucket list, by John Doe”. This way, if you own a personal brand people will find your podcast easily.

3. Think about emotions

A podcast name can express different emotions. Think about the words you are using, what does come to mind?

For example, “The Antidote” expresses something positive, that there will be a solution to something.

"Conviction – The Disappearance of John Doe”, this one expresses something more negative. Instead, it could have been “Finding John Doe”. It doesn’t sound so negative. Unfortunately, in many cases, a more negative title can attract more listeners, just like what happens on the news.

Think about what emotions the following titles express:

• The Superhero Complex
• The Rest is Politics
• We Were Three
• Hoaxed
• Ruined
• Sorry About the Kid
• Not Lost

These are the names of some of the most popular podcasts in 2022.

And there are dozen other names that don’t express any strong emotions. This is an option too!

4. Brainstorming

Start a document, by yourself or with your co-hosts and/or friends, and start throwing random ideas.

Write down whatever you think about. It doesn’t need to make sense while writing it. You are just brainstorming!

Write at least 10 ideas. Don’t choose one right now. Close the document and look at it in a few days.

If none of these ideas inspire you try writing 10 more or combine ideas together.

5. Check if the name is available

You have come up with a few good ideas. Great!

Now it’s time to check if the name is available. If it isn’t you are out of luck. Someone else has picked it. That’s fine, you can come up with an even better one.

I will suggest you search the name you came up with on:

• Listen Notes
• Google Podcasts
• The app you’re using on your phone
• Google

If you didn’t find a podcast with the name you had in mind great!

Then, you may want to check if social media handles (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) are available and if you can register a domain name for it.

6. Name for search friendliness

That’s SEO. You want to optimize your name to appear on podcast search engines, and more generally on Google.

Think twice about throwing a one million word on the name. A simpler one might be a better idea. You’re not writing a paper or your thesis.

People are searching on podcast search engines, like the ones mentioned above, and you want to make it easier for you to find your podcast.

Add keywords that one might look for, but don’t overdo it! If your podcast is about a niche add a related term to it, as people that are interested will be searching for it.

7. Say it out loud

There are phrases that you can say easier than others.

Try to say the name you’ve thought of loudly. Is it easy to say and memorable?

Great. People will remember it and mention it in conversations.

Not being easy to say is not a deal breaker though. If it is a strong one you can consider using it!

8. Gather friends’ opinions

You can’t always be objective about something you are creating.

It’s a good idea to discuss it with co-hosts, friends, and/or co-workers.

A name that you thought was really good may sound bad to anybody else. Be open to receiving some honest feedback and encourage others to tell you what they think!

9. Don’t overthink it

A name may give a good first impression and be memorable but that’s it.

The content you are putting out there is much more important. People will probably refer to your podcast because of what you’ve said and the value you provide to them.

If they remember its name, that’s great. If not, they can open the podcast listening app on their phones and share an episode with their friends.

I remember some great podcasts, but I can’t recall their names without checking.

10. Keep it short

Please don’t make your podcast title too long. Not because it is necessarily a bad idea.

But podcast apps may truncate it, in order to fit on a mobile phone’s screen or their web interface. The same thing happens with Google or Youtube search results.

If you have thought of a bigger title, at least, put the most important thing at the beginning.

11. Using “Podcast”

Many podcasts, like some we mentioned above, have the word “Podcast” on their title.

If the title you are thinking of is short, or you are using your personal name, feel free to include it.

Some people are using “Show” or “Radio” instead of “Podcast”. That’s fine too.

But if you are planning on using a longer name I would suggest omitting these words.

12. Reflects your brand

A name should resonate with your brand. You have made an effort trying to associate particular feelings or a certain aesthetic with your brand. Your podcast’s title should follow the same rules.

A nice podcast name I can think of is “Rework”, which is the same as a book that the company has put out. People already know and have read the book so that name is familiar to them.

Another one I like is, the simpler, “CodePen Radio”. It’s the name of the company + “Radio”, which sounds nice.

13. No offensive words

Never, ever, use offensive words on your podcast’s name!

You are risking your podcast not getting accepted on popular podcast apps like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

For your episodes’ content, you can enable the Explicit Content option on your podcast’s dashboard, but I wouldn’t recommend using offensive language on the name.

14. Check other podcasts

There might be other similar podcasts, to the one you are planning on making.

You can make a list of their names and get inspiration from them. You don’t want to be a copy cat though. Analyze why these names are good and create an even better one!

15. Use a podcast name generator

Another idea is to use a podcast name generator. There are many out there to help you.

Personally, I would not recommend you do so. Maybe only for generating some initial ideas.

I won’t list any such generators here, but you can do a quick Google search.

16. Make it a bit generic

Your podcast may grow, don’t give it an overly specific name!

For example, I named one of the podcasts I participate in “Horror Show”, at the beginning. Then it grew and that name didn’t reflect what it was about.

Changing its name on all podcast apps was a frustrating process, so make sure you leave some room for growing!

17. Don’t misspell

Make sure you have not made any spelling mistakes before submitting your podcast to podcast listening apps.

Going back and fixing them can be a frustrating and slow process.

If you are not sure about how a particular word is spelled use a dictionary or Google it!

I would suggest you not using any special characters besides “-”, like emojis or symbols, as a few apps don’t support them.

Going Forward

These are my top 17 tips and ideas on choosing the perfect podcast name.

Don’t rush it. You only have to commit to one after having your first episode ready and submitting your podcast to directories.

Until then, write down a few ideas and go make awesome content!

Podcast Name FAQ

Can I choose my podcast name?

Podcast hosting platforms allow you to change your podcast’s name but it may take time to reflect on the apps. Some apps may need manual intervention too.

When do I have to commit to a podcast name?

You can play with different ideas until you have your first episode ready and you are about to submit your podcast on podcast directories (Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts).