How to name your youtube channel? This is a question many ask when they are just starting on their vlogging journey. Finding the right name for a youtube channel can be incredibly frustrating. If you are feeling stuck at this stage, remember you are not the only one.
A good youtube channel name should be concise, evocative, and communicate something to your viewer. In this In-Depth guide, we will cover everything you need to know about how to name a youtube channel.
If you are just starting with vlogging and want to learn more about Youtube check out our Ultimate Guide for Vlogging.
3 Main Types of Youtube Channel Names
Youtube channel names essentially boil down to three main types of titles. All three have their pros and cons that we will cover here.
Personal Name: A youtube channel simply named after your first and last name. Famous examples are “CaseyNeistat” or “GaryVee.” Using your own name can help to keep it more real and personal. This might fit some channels better than others. Especially if you are the face of your content.
Descriptive Name: A name that describes the category or topic of the channel like “5-minute crafts”. This way, your viewers know exactly what your channel is about. Descriptive names can even help your content be more discoverable and rank better on the search engine if they include certain keywords.
Made up Names: Many great names and brands did not really mean anything before they were used, or appear unrelated to the topic; names like Pewdipie, or brands like Google or Yahoo. You can give these names any meaning you like.
Tips on How to Name your Youtube Channel
Now that we have covered the three different types of youtube channel names, it is time to decide what your title should communicate.
Define what your channel is about
The first step to finding the right title for your show always starts by defining what the niche of your channel is. What will your channel be about? What is its primary purpose; to entertain, inform, or to teach? Your channel name should communicate what the tone of your content is.
Define who your audience is.
Who is your target demographic? What does your audience like? Are there any specific words or phrases only they can relate to or understand? What are the keywords your audience is searching for? Using these insights can help you create a title that connects with your audience.
Get Inspiration
If you ever get stuck, you can start looking at other channels on the same topic or niche. Look at what names they choose, did they use personal, descriptive, or merely made-up names. Also, think about what those names communicate to the viewer.
What to Include in a Channel Name
Make it easy to spell – A name that is hard to spell is hard to sell. People won’t remember a complicated name and will make it difficult for them to search for it.
Keep it as short as possible – Short names are catchy and fun. Unfortunately, most short names are already taken. But there are still some great made up short names available if you are creative.
Make it unique – By making your name stand out, you will get noticed more. Try to make your name unique and original to grab the attention of the crowds.
Use capital letters when you combine words – If you are connecting words, make sure to use capital letters, like MediaEquipt, for example. This makes it easier to read and understand the title.
Use puns or alliteration – By using wordplay in the name, you can make something more memorable. Don’t be afraid to use some fun puns or alliterations in the title if you can.
What to Avoid in a Channel Name
Very long names – Longer names are harder for people to remember and generally less catchy. A youtube channel name is limited to 20 characters, but you usually want to be way below that limit.
Numbers – While using numbers can make a lot of sense for certain youtube channels, it should always be connected to the channel’s topic, for example, “5-minute crafts.” You don’t want to use numbers randomly or because the name itself is taken.
Don’t make it to specific – When picking a name, always leave room for growth in the future. Don’t let a particular channel name limit what content you might choose to make in the future. Try to think of the broader picture.
More than 3 Words – Connecting different words is a great way to come up with channel names. But when you start combining more than three words, it will make the name a lot longer and harder to remember.
Think outside of Youtube
If you are serious about vlogging, it might be in your interest to check the availability of the title as a website domain and social media name.
You can quickly check domain name availability in www.godaddy.com, the biggest domain registrar. Ideally, you want the .com domain name, as it is the easiest for people to remember and to avoid confusion.
When you have found a name that is both available as a youtube channel name and domain name, you might want to purchase the domain right away. Most domains can be purchases for under 10 dollars a year.
Also, check if the name is available on all popular social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Using other social media channels can help you to reach more people and bring traffic to your Youtube channel.
A 3-step process for coming up with great Youtube Channel names
If you are still feeling stuck at this point, we have a method for you to create a list of several potentially great youtube channel names.
1. Make a list of relevant words
Start by gathering relevant words. Use dictionaries like www.dictionary.com or find synonyms for different terms on www.thesaurus.com. You can also search for words related to a specific topic or category.
You can also make a list of personality traits, nicknames, or other adjectives that describe you. If you want a more ambiguous name, you could take words from greek mythology or another language like german, Spanish, or anything else.
2. Mix and Combine
When you have an extensive list of names, synonyms and other words, it is time to try to combine them or maybe change the spelling to create a brand new name. Make sure to read the names out loud to yourself, also try to get the opinion of others.
For this process, you can use a name generator. They do have some limitations as they can not come up with puns or other wordplay. There are a few youtube channel name generators that can help you:
The best Youtube Channel name Generators
Businessnamegenerator
As the name suggests, this is a quick and straightforward name generator. Just enter the words you want to include, and you will get a list of results, you can even check domain availability instantly from the site.
https://businessnamegenerator.com/youtube-name-generator/
Kparser
Kparser focuses on generating names around SEO keywords. If you want to include specific keywords, it can help you rank better in the topic or niche you chose.
Spinxo
Spinxo generates 30 unique names at a time by providing topics, niches, and other relevant words you want in your name. You can also check the availability by tapping on one of the words in the list.
https://www.spinxo.com/youtube-names
3. Check Availability
Make the potential name list as big as you can, and don’t get to attached to any particular name as there is always a chance it might already be taken. Start by checking if the name is available on Youtube, then as a .com domain, and finally also check on social media.
Hopefully, if you give this process enough time, you will have found a great name for your Youtube channel that is also available.
How to Change your Youtube Channel Name
Before you could not change the name of a youtube channel. Thankfully, youtube changed that, and it is effortless to do.
You generally want to avoid changing a name too much, especially if you already have many subscribers (you might expect to lose some if you change). This means you should have a good reason for changing the channel name. If you think changing your name will help people find you more easily or empower your brand, it could be wise to change.
1) Go to Youtube Channel Settings
2) Click on Edit on Google next to your profile picture
3) Enter the new channel name you wish to change to.
4) Click on Change name and confirm the change
How to Set up a Custom URL for Your Channel
When you have found a great name and brand for your channel, you will soon enough want a custom URL.
To be able to have a custom URL, you need to meet certain criteria:
- Have at least 100 subscribers
- The channel has to be at least 30 days old
- The channel has its own uploaded photo and channel art.
Once the criteria above are met, you can now change the URL of your channel by doing the following:
1) Go to your advanced account settings on your channel.
2) If you are eligible for a custom URL, you will see the following text: “You’re eligible for a custom URL” right under Channel Settings.
3) In the Get a custom URL box, you’ll see URLs you can choose from. You are not able to change the part in the gray box, but you may have to add letters or numbers to make it unique.
4) Read and check the box to agree to the Custom URL Terms of Use
5) Click Change URL
6) Before you confirm, keep in mind that you can’t edit or change a custom URL once it’s created. Once you are sure about the change and have double-checked for errors, click Confirm.
In Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you pick a name for your youtube channel. It is not an easy process, and it can take a long time. It is important not to give up. The right name can be incredibly powerful and a critical factor in determining the success of your vlogging channel, so make it a good one!
