How to choose a great name for your podcast

It's difficult, since specifying an episode synopsis is a conceptual challenge with a lot of creative considerations. Showing titles should be simple, concise, special, descriptive, and evocative. They need to telegraph the material, sound, treatment, and values of the show. Show titles also need to be configured for discovery, prevent layoffs with other metadata, and be shown cleanly in major podcast apps.

It can be overwhelming to name your podcast. You've worked hard to create the show concept, and it can be difficult to move forward with the production process before you've decided on the right title. How do you pick a name that encapsulates what your podcast is about and invites people to listen to it?

Here are a few tips and guidelines for a great podcast name.

First Up: Check for Duplicates

Before going ahead and choosing a name, just ensure there's no other show using the same name.

A quick search in your podcast app will let you know what's available and what's not. Go further, however, and check Google for + "Podcast."

It can happen that you found a show that uses the name you had your heart set on, except that they stopped bringing out episodes back in 2007. As annoying as this may be, don't just bash on it and try to use it anyway. At the very least, it will create uncertainty for your listeners and potentially harm the growth of your audience.

How to go on choosing that "Perfect" podcast name

There are multiple paths one can take when faced with the decision to choose the most suitable name for their podcast.

Path #1: Witty Podcast Names

Imaginative or "witty" titles are often based around a play on words or an interesting term from the theme or niche of the show.

Most of these names make sense when you look really closely enough at them. But most are just plain abstract, and they give no glimpse of the actual content of the show.

If you already have a following, a reputation as a successful content maker, or a massive marketing budget, it won't necessarily hold you back. If enough people take a look at your show and enjoy it, then you're going to do well.

But if you're entirely new, then you need to ask yourself what your potential audience is looking for online --- and if your podcast name is going to appear in these searches.

Path #2: Going With Your Actual Name

Podcasts titled after their hosts generally have one thing in common the host seemed to have an audience before they began podcasting.

These names don't send any indications about the quality of the show. If you've never heard of Tim Ferris, you wouldn't have been able to guess what his podcast actually covers.

As it occurs, the podcast is about "interviewing world-class performers" in all fields, bringing together similarities and experiences that bind them.

If Tim Ferris had been a newbie to the podcast scene, he'd probably put a little more detail in his title. Anything like "How to Be World Class" will surely catch the attention of his target audience.

Path #3: Descriptive Podcast Names

This category of title can be described as "doing exactly what the tin says."

Descriptive podcast titles are instantly recognizable to the target audience. And they're easier to find because they're doing well in searches.

However, if you have a very artistic or sophisticated name chosen for your show and are eager to use it, you can still find a way to combine it with a descriptive title, too.

You might consider this as a "bland" choice, but as long as your content isn't monotonous, nobody's going to worry about it.

Wrapping Up

There is no definitive response here as to what route you should take. It depends on you, your theme, and the type of podcast you'd like to do.

You're prone to falling into the "I don't have an audience right now, and I'd like to build one fast" camp though. If that's the case, choose the name as straightforwardly as you can. It highly improves the odds of your podcast being found.

And note, the label of your podcast isn't set in stone. You can tweak it or alter it at any time. That's not to suggest that you're not going to try to pick a good one right from the start, but don't get too focused on it that you're never actually starting the thing!