How to choose a great name for your podcast

In this episode, I'm going to be looking at how to choose a name for your podcast. With an explosion in the number of podcasts, coming up with an original and memorable name is becoming increasingly difficult. But the first step is to check and see if there are already podcasts out there with the same name that you're thinking of.

You may think that you've already got a brilliant name for your podcast, but please see if it's already been used. It isn't necessarily a deal breaker if another podcast already has the same name because it might be an old podcast feed or for a completely different industry.

But be warned if there is another podcast out there with a name you want to use. Your podcast may be mistaken for that podcast or brand.

Step One: Check Availability

So the first thing to do when you have a name in mind is to search on the main podcast directories, which are Apple and Spotify.

Search in Google, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms so you can see if the podcast name is already being used and if the domain name and social media handles are available.

Step Two: Test the Sound

Step two is to make sure you can say the name. Say it out loud. How does it sound? Are you happy with how it sounds? Is it easy to say?

Behind the Balance Sheet was a podcast I launched a few years ago but the name was really difficult to say. You're going to be saying this name a lot along with your own name. So please make sure you're happy with how it sounds and make sure you can say it easily.

Step Three: Keep it Short and Sweet

And step three is to keep it short and sweet. Aim for four words or less. As mentioned before, you'll need to be able to say it easily.

Try and avoid including the word "the" in the title. And remember it's got to fit onto your artwork or image that you use for your podcast. So keeping it shorter will make that a lot easier.

Inspiration: Podcast Names

Here are a few ideas of podcast names for inspiration: Brexit cast, The Missing Crypto Queen (a highly recommended podcast), Happy Place by Fern Cotton, Feel Better Live More, You, Me and the Big C, and finally Masters of Scale. And if you're completely stuck for ideas, try out a name generator (link in the resources below).

Resources:

For further reading, have a look at this blog from Castos:

https://castos.com/podcast-name/

And in case you’re really stuck, here’s Riverside’s name generator:

https://riverside.fm/podcast-name-generator