How To Choose A Name For Your Podcast

By podcast | August 9, 2022

The name of your podcast has to be attention grabbing and fit the style and the vibe of your brand. With over two million podcasts in existence, the hardest part might honestly be finding a name that doesn’t already exist. I’m going to help you with that. In this post, I’ll be covering how to choose the best name for your podcast, what goes into a podcast name, and how to name your podcast for the type of content you’re creating.

If you’d rather listen to an episode on this topic, check out episode two of our podcast, Clipped.

Clipped on Apple 

Clipped on Spotify

But, All The Good Names Are Taken

As you’re probably already feeling, your podcast is your baby, and every parent knows you got to give your baby a name. It’s gotta be special. It’s gotta be catchy. It’s got to be unique.

You’ve probably already looked on Apple Podcasts and typed in the name you want. If you haven’t, I recommend you do this. This is the first step you need to do. Go to Apple Podcasts, type the name that you want into the search bar, and BOOM…you’ll see that there are probably a dozen other podcasts with names similar to the one you want. Or, more than likely the name that you want is already taken. So, it’s important that you think long and hard about what you name your podcast.

Get creative. Choosing a name is tough, which is why I’m going to give you some strategies you can use to come up with a unique name. I’m also going to cover the different types of podcast names.

Reel Them In

This is going to be the first hook in your arsenal of reeling in new listeners. You want a cool name. You want people to see it and be like, “Oh, what is this about?” The name of your podcast is going to be listed EVERYWHERE. It’s going to be on the web. It’s going to be on Apple. It’s going to be on Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, iHeart, and on every other podcast directory. Podcast names are a big part of your identity and almost the entirety of your brand.

Choosing a name is the easiest to do during pre-production. This isn’t something you’re going to want to change several episodes into the show. That’s a reason in itself to think long and hard about what your podcast is going to be called. How many times have you looked at a podcast and wanted to know what it was about just because of the name? Other times have you looked at the name of a podcast and thought that it was lame?

Take your time. Be creative, but be descriptive as well.

The Types of Podcast Names

I like to break these down into three categories.

  • Catchy and Creative
  • Descriptive
  • Real Names

Catchy and Creative

These names can be a pun, a joke, or something out of the box. Catchy and Creative names are going to be something that catches the listener’s attention right away. It’s going to set the tone for what I feel are usually comedic shows, entertaining shows, or round table shows that are fun and not so serious. Of course, they can be serious, but, it feels like a lot of times they aren’t.

Here are a couple of podcast names in this category that I like:

Just by reading these titles, you can come up with your own idea of what the show is about, without having heard it. If not, names like this are at least creative enough to make you curious about the podcast.

Descriptive

Descriptive names don’t play around and pretty much tell you exactly what the podcast is about. You want these names to be on the nose. But, the hard part is not being too dry or dull. Ideally, you use some of your imagination.

Oftentimes, these types of podcasts are in the educational category, business category, or news category. Descriptive names work really well for those types of podcasts. So, if you’re creating a show in this vein, a descriptive name could be the way you should go.

Here are a few podcasts I’ve listened to or worked on that use a descriptive name.

Real

What’s better than naming your podcast after you? These shows are named after their host.

I don’t recommend naming your podcast after yourself unless you already have influence in your industry. If people don’t know who you are, you’re better off coming up with a different name for your podcast. If you want to put your whole brand on the shoulders of what your parents named you, then by all means go for it. But, you better be kicking ass at what you do, and people better love your personality and style. When slap your name on your brand you become a character that can be hard to break out of.

The Wrap Up

Those are the three main categories of types of podcast names. Once you think you have a good name, I would definitely recommend testing it out. Ask your family and friends for honest feedback. If you have an email list, let your list know you’re starting a podcast and you want feedback on the name of it. Maybe ask your social media followers. Regardless of how you do it, it’s a great idea to run it by people. They’ll let you know if you’re crazy or not. Crazy might just be a good thing!

Podcast Resources

Are you having trouble getting your podcast off the ground? Then you need The Four Pillars of Podcasting ebook. This ebook breaks down the entire podcasting process into four pillars: pre-production, production, post-production, and launch. By reading through it and mastering each pillar, you’ll be fully equipped with what it takes to launch a successful podcast. Be sure to grab your copy today!

If you guys have any podcast questions, shoot me an email at info@thepodcasthaven.com. I love connecting with you guys. Shoot me your podcasting idea/podcast name and I’ll give you some honest feedback.

Check out The Podcast Haven if you want to learn more about my podcast production company and the services we offer.

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