One of the biggest regrets many bloggers have is their blog name. This is why I’m sharing tips for new bloggers on how to choose a blog name that’s perfect for your blog niche and that you’ll love for a long time.
No regrets!
I wish I hadn’t named my lifestyle blog Suburban Tourist. I outgrew it a couple of years into blogging but didn’t know how to do a blog rebrand without losing my following. Lesson learned!
Because it sucks when you’re not willing to go through the hassle of rebranding your whole blog, with all the technical stuff to keep your SEO link juice and great traffic.
I did a mini rebrand when I extracted my blogging-related posts from Suburban Tourist to this new site. It was a pain in the a**.
To keep you from making my mistake, and one that many bloggers make, take into consideration these key tips I’m sharing with you on how to choose a good blog name – for you!
So, you want to know how to pick a blog name that’s perfect for your blog niche and that you’ll love for a long time? Let’s get started!
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How To Choose a Blog Name That You’ll Love For A Long Time
When you’re thinking of what to name a blog, you’ll need to do some research and brainstorming. Not to mention, some decision-making!
It’s one of my key recommended steps when you’re starting a new blog.
I know – it’s tough to narrow things down in the beginning because OMG… you have so much to write about!
However, every great blog is fairly narrowed down when it comes to a niche. Or at least a category – e.g. lifestyle – but for a specific niche audience. For example a lifestyle blog for busy work-from-home moms.
As you may have noticed, I also narrowed down the examples to a target audience.
Knowing your niche and who you’re writing for – and their pain points – will help you determine a list of the best blog names from which you choose “the one”.
Your chosen blog name won’t only be for you, but will also signal to and attract your target audience.
Now that you have your blog niche and target audience, let’s look at what else you need to do.
| Related: 5 Important Things To Do Before You Launch A New Blog To The Process Easier And Better
Do Your Research: Check Other Blog Name Examples
While I’m not recommending you copy somebody’s blog name, I’m advising you to do some research to get inspiration.
What kind of blog names resonate with you?
For example, if you’re planning to start a blog in conjunction with your business, it might be worthwhile using your name (like I did).
Write down all the blog names that you found really attractive and that worked for their blog niche.
This is a short exercise that will get you thinking about what makes for a great blog name and what doesn’t.
PRO TIP: If you’re still stuck, consider using AI to help you generate blog names. Chat GPT is a great resource for words and phrases to create a list of potential blog names.
Key Considerations For Best Blog Name
Before you begin your process of choosing a blog name, consider a few key things that will ensure you choose the right name.
- Remember to choose a name that YOU like. You will have to live with your blog name for the long run.
- Determine what your overall niche or category will be in five to ten years. If you’re anticipating your blog will undergo a drastic change, consider a name that’s more general than specific.
- Most importantly, consider how your target audience will perceive the name. What will it signify to them?
The Best Blog Name Ideas
Now it’s time to get started looking at the blog name types from which you can choose.
What are some of the blog name ideas that will work for your personal blog? Or your business blog?
Getting blog name inspiration from others, books, pop culture and your own world can really help you fine-tune your list of potential blog names.
Here are unique blog names to help you figure out the best one for your site:
- Blog names with your name, like mine.
- Two-word blog names with an + or and (e.g. Lavender and Pine) – great when you’re blogging about two opposite things
- A niche-focused unique blog name with a keyword – e.g. “This Average Mom” – also tells you which audience she’s targeting (i.e. other average moms).
- Blog name using alliteration – e.g. Margaret’s Musings
- Inspired by a book or quote
- Fun blog names (e.g. Scary Mommy)
- Pun words (e.g. Whine And Cheese)
- Blending of two words into a new word – e.g. Lavenlily (Lavender and Lily – a great name for a gardening blog)
- Made up name – think about Google itself!
- A blog name about your favourite thing or activity – e.g., Coffee With Maggie
- Your nickname (e.g. I could use Coffee With Gosia – my nickname in Polish)
Creative Blog Names If You’re Stuck
Wondering how to choose a blog name when you’re completely stuck?
I mean, nothing is coming to you. And every name that does come to you, is already taken.
When you’re having a hard time with naming a blog, it’s time to get creative.
Some ways to get past the “naming block” are:
- Use a thesaurus to find similar words that might work.
- Try different grammatical combinations (e.g. The (adjective) + (noun), or (verb) and (adverb), etc. )
- Consider foreign words
- Choose a letter that you really like the sound of and play with words
- Use a blog generator (e.g. Blog Name Generator, Satori Web Academy Blog Name Generator)
And my final tip is to brainstorm with family or friends.
Sometimes a fresh perspective is helpful, as long as they know your parameters (i.e. your niche and target audience).
Choosing The Best Blog Name For You And Your Niche
By the time you’ve done all the brainstorming and writing down of possible options, the next step is to see if the URL and social media account names are available.
For this use Domain.com to see if your chosen URL is available.
It’s got a handy tool to let you know whether the .com version of your preferred URL (keep them short!) is available.
Check around on your key social media accounts to see if they’re available.
Your account names should be the same or as similar as possible to your blog name and URL.
Test Drive Your Top 3 Blog Name Choices
When you’re ready to pick a blog name, choose the top three best blog names that you really like.
Now it’s time to ask others for their input.
- Ask your friends and family what their top choice is from your blog names list.
- Check to see if it’s a unique blog name that nobody else is using.
- Test market your blog name in Facebook groups.
- Check if the social media accounts (e.g. Instagram, Twitter…) are available
At the end of the day, you get the final choice, but it’s always great to get input from others!
Key Tips For Choosing A Blog Name
Here are some of the top questions I get from new bloggers as they research and choose their blog name.
How Do I Come Up With My Blog Name
Here are the key steps:
- Choose your keyword for your preferred blog niche. Make sure it works with your brand.
- Research, brainstorm and play around with potential names based on recommended blog naming strategies: alliteration, a name with your keyword included, a combination of words, puns, made-up names, fun names, a blending of two words, your name, your favourite activity and your first name.
- Research to see if the top three names you like are available as domains and on social media.
Should I Name My Blog After Myself?
Whether you have a personal lifestyle blog or a business blog for a service that you provide, a blog named after yourself is extremely powerful and memorable.
If your plan is to promote your site with your own personal brand, it makes it very easy for site visitors to recognize your site.
Consider a blogger such as course creation expert Gemma Bonham-Carter – who uses her full name as a domain URL. Her domain name is easy to remember.
Do Blog Names Matter?
Having a blog name that matches your brand is extremely important! People will remember your blog easily if the name stands out and makes sense for your niche. Make it memorable, easy to spell, “on-brand”, and relatable to your niche.
Final Things To Remember As You Pick A Blog Name
To wrap it all up, before you head over to either of my two recommended hosting providers – NameHero– or BigScoots to set up your self-hosted site, make sure you’ve:
- Chosen a name that works with your niche
- Thought through your long-term plan for your niche and have chosen a name that will work for it over time.
- Kept it short, and memorable with a short URL
- Ensured it resonates well with your potential audience
- Checked to see if it hasn’t been taken (domain)
PRO TIP: Blog names with your name can be a challenge to get ranking if they are a popular name.
Now that you’ve got all the tips, grab that notebook and pen, and get started researching and brainstorming!
And once you’ve started your blog, let’s tackle writing your first blog post.
QUESTION: What challenges have you had in trying to name a blog?
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Great tips on an important topic! I have huge regrets over my blog name. I was excited and rushed in without giving it enough thought. Lesson learned.
I hear you! My lifestyle blog sure needs a name change too. But at this point, I don’t know what I’d call it.
OMG! I think it’s one of the most challenging tasks with building a brand, or a website is to come up with a name. As for me, after many weeks of contemplation, I decided to go with my name. Thanks for sharing!
Yours works for you! You’re positioning yourself as the expert, which works so well.
Another excellent post!
Oh gosh…I can’t even tell you how long I spent wracking my brain for a good name. It was harder than naming my children! I wish I would have had your helpful tips a few week ago when I was still struggling.
So many of the names I wanted were already taken. But, when I realized that I wanted the ability to broaden my niche down the line, I went with something a little on the generic side. I’m still not sure I love it, but I’m locked in now lol!
OH yes, coming up with a blog name is tricky. I do like my blog name “Green Slice of Life” because it’s not quite locked it to any niche, although it does lend well to “eco-friendly” or lifestyle. I think the name is great! That can evolve and grow with the blog over time.
I agree – I like your name and it works well with your focus and niche! 🙂