How to Pick a Blog Name

You picked your niche. You’re feeling good. And now you’ve spent the last few hours staring at a blank notes app trying to come up with a blog name.

Sound familiar?

This is the step where a lot of people get stuck, and honestly stay stuck. I’ve seen people spend weeks on this and never actually start their blog because they couldn’t land on the perfect name.

Here’s my advice: don’t do that.

Your blog name doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be something you like, something that makes sense for your topic, and something you can actually get the domain for.

That’s it!

What Makes a Good Blog Name?

A good blog name is easy to say, easy to spell, and gives people a general idea of what you’re about.

You just need something that feels right and is easy to remember.

Think about it this way … if you told someone your blog name out loud, could they find it without asking you to spell it?

If yes, you’re on the right track.

A few things to avoid:

• Numbers or hyphens in the domain name
• Names that are too similar to blogs that already exist
• Anything so specific it boxes you in if your content evolves a little over time

How to Come Up With Your Blog Name

Not sure where to start? Here are some simple formulas that work really well for a blog name that I use when picking a name.

Your Own Name

Simple, personal, and it grows with you no matter where your blog goes.

This is great if you’re building a personal brand.

• Jessica’s Journeys
• Mike’s Musings

Noun and Noun

Two words that go together and hint at your topic. This is one of my favorites because it’s simple and memorable.

• Travel and Taste
• Code and Canvas
• Garden and Grove

Adjective and Noun

This combo is descriptive and easy to remember.

• Creative Chronicles
• Serene Spaces
• Vibrant Voyages

Verb and Noun

Action-oriented and fun.

• Explore Essence
• Design Dreams
• Capture Creativity

Alliteration

This is my all time favorite and how I named my first blog! A nod to my 7th grade English teacher here.

Alliteration is when you use two words that start with the same letter. It’s catchy and easy to recall. Examples like:

• Pink Panda
• Fashionable Flora
• Baking Bliss

Mix and match these formulas with words from your niche and see what comes up.

Write down everything, even the ones that sound silly at first. Sometimes the best names come from a list of bad ones.

How to Check If Your Name Is Available

Once you have a name you like, you need to make sure you can actually use it. There are two things to check.

Your Domain Name

Your domain is your blog’s address on the internet.

This is the URL people type in to find you.

You want to make sure no one else has it.

I recommend checking domain availability on Porkbun.

It’s simple to use and has some of the best pricing out there for domain names and the site I recommend to all bloggers who want to start multiple blogs.

Type in your blog name and see if the .com is available. Always go for the .com if you can, it’s what people default to when they’re trying to find a website.

Your Social Media Handles

After you’ve checked to make sure your domain name is available I like to go a step farther and check that your blog name is available on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and Pinterest at minimum. None of these are really necessary except for Pinterest but it’s good to check so you don’t get too far and realize your favorite name is taken by another business.

You don’t have to set them up today but you want to make sure you can claim them when you’re ready and have your domain.

There’s nothing worse than building a brand around a name you can’t use consistently across platforms.

Still Can’t Decide?

If you’re down to two or three options and just can’t pick, ask yourself this:

Which one would you be excited to tell someone about?

Say each name out loud like you’re introducing yourself at a party.

“Hi, I run a blog called ___.”

The one that feels natural and makes you a little proud? That’s your name.

Just Pick One and Go

I have started multiple blogs at this point and I’ll tell you, the name is never as make or break as it feels in the moment. What matters way more is that you start and that you keep going.

Pick something you like. Make sure the domain is available.

Grab it before someone else does.

We’ll talk about how to do that in the next post.

What’s Next?

Now that you have your blog name it’s time to make it official. In the next post I’ll walk you through how to purchase your domain and set up hosting with Dreamhost so your blog has a real home on the internet.

Already have a name in mind? Drop it in the comments, I’d love to hear it!