5 Steps To Choose a Good YouTube Channel Name

find a youtube name

One of the most important things to consider when starting a YouTube channel is its name. You might think that any channel name would do, but the truth is just the opposite.

The competition is huge, so every little trick helps. If you choose a creative name, the chances are high that it will help you attract more viewers. Unfortunately, it’s easier said than done coming up with good name ideas!

Finding the YouTube best name is far from being an easy task, mainly because most of them are already taken.

Still, this doesn’t mean you should give up. On the contrary – you just need to put a little bit of effort!

Luckily for you, you’re not alone in the quest for the best YouTube channel name – we’re here to help you out! By following our advice, you will be able to find the perfect match.

But, first, let’s see why it’s important to choose a good name for your vlog!

The Importance of Choosing a Good YouTube Name

Did you know that there are over 1.5 billion YouTube users in the world?

MRBEAST What this means is that standing out from the crows is almost a mission impossible. In order to rise above the rest, you need to tackle each and every issue, including the name of your channel!

With a good YouTube channel name, you will be able to attract more viewers, which is the whole point of running a vlog.

But, there are a few other reasons why it’s important to pay special attention to choosing the right name for your channel. Here are some of them!

YouTube Channel Name is there for Eternity

Although you can change your YouTube channel name whenever you want, doing it is not advisable. Especially not if you already have decent followership!

The reason?

If the viewers are familiar with your channel, you might confuse them with the name change.

By changing the name of your channel, you are risking to ruin its reputation, which you’ve probably earned by working hard for a long time. Instead, you need to stick to your channel’s name and make a brand out of it!

It Can Bring Viewers on Its Own

A good YouTube channel name can be a powerful tool for attracting new viewers.

By choosing one that explains what your channel’s main topic is about, you will let the users know exactly what to expect from your videos.

YOUTUBE VIEWSFor example, if you name your fitness vlog something really specific like “Danny’s Beginner Workouts” or something along that line, the users will know what kind of info they can get from watching your videos.

But, if you’ve used random words or gibberish for your fitness channel’s name, the users would probably go someplace else.

Your YouTube Name Will Eventually Become Your Name

Do you know who Felix Kjellberg is? Probably not… But, we’re sure you know his YouTube name – PewDiePie!

The subscribers won’t care too much about your real name – they’ll always think of you as your YouTube nickname, or account name. So, think of this as an opportunity to choose a new name for yourself. One that will sound cool and represent you the right way!

Forget about puns, you surely don’t want a funny nickname like ChunkyMonkey to get stuck to you forever. Still, this not to say that humor is forbidden. On the contrary, a witty YouTube name will show the viewers that you’re smart and intelligent, thus arising interest in them about your channel.

In fact, a number of famous YouTubers have gone with humorous names – whatdafaqshow, Dude Perfect, The Annoying Orange, etc.

Characteristics of a Good YouTube Name

In order for it to be called the best, your channel’s name needs to satisfy a couple of conditions. The first of all is that it’s unique. Calling your channel Smosh 2 or NewSmosh will not bring you anything.

Except perhaps for copyright litigation!

Because there are literally millions of channels out there, finding a unique name won’t be easy, especially if you want to use a one-word username. Actually, in order to save your time and nerves, we advise you not to even try to find such a username.

Instead, feel free to start thinking about a username made of several words.

This way, you will increase your chances of finding one that’s never been used before. But, you need to make sure that it will be easy to read and pronounce.

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A trick to make the several-words-long username more readable is to separate the words with capital letters, the same as PewDiePie did.

Because he used three capital letters in his username, you have no problems reading it. But, if he used only lowercase letters, you would not be able to tell when one word ends and the other starts.

Now that we’re on the subject of PewDiePie, one of the reasons behind his popularity is that his channel’s name is very easy to remember. The three-syllable username is very memorable, not to mention that no one will have problems pronouncing it.

Although his username is unique and memorable, it’s still far from being perfect.

In fact, the best channel name needs to send a message to the users, telling them what the channel is all about.

A good idea to achieve this is to use slang related to the channel’s topic. For instance, if you discuss football matches in your videos, a good idea would be to use slang words like footy, wildcat, and so on. This way, only those interested in football will be able to understand exactly what your channel is about.

Choose a Channel Name Category

Before naming your YouTube channel, you need to opt for the category. Now, generally, there are 4 major categories of Channel Name.

  • Brand (Adidas)
  • Name (Shawn Mendes)
  • Category (Game Room)
  • Descriptive ( Epic Rap Battles)

The most facile approach is using your own first and last name for the channel. If you plan to be the face of your YouTube channel, this will work the best.

But such an approach may not work for you as it did for others. If you face such a scenario then follow the steps listed later.

Your Name Should Describe Your Topic

The name can have a great impact on the number of viewers and subscribers. For instance, many people can deduce what the channel is about, simply by its name.

Now, this doesn’t mean you practically describe the topic in the name. Doing so will only make the name dull and generic sounding.
Rather, you can engage in many creative ways to accent the topic. Like the name Video Influencers channel; a perfect example.

It gives enough description yet it not flat or generic or boring.

Your Name Should be Quirky

This is the aspect that holds the attention of any viewer. For example, you have a certain name in your mind but skeptical about it. Simply put your name on YouTube and check the results.

Now, if you see various channels with pretty much similar names, take the hint. Yet if the results show no similarity than it is a green signal.

What Not To Do?

There are some things that you need to stay away from, at any cost. By avoiding common mistakes, you ensure that the channel name won’t create a negative effect on the potential viewers. Here are some of them:

  • Bad words – Do not swear or use offensive words in your channel’s name. Vulgarity is never a crowd pleaser. If you do that, not only will you chase away the users who find the use of such language inappropriate, but you will also risk getting banned by YouTube.
  • Using clichés – One reason why you need to stay away from common words and phrases is that it will make you seem dull. The other reason is that such usernames are probably already taken.
  • Using too many numbers and symbols – You might think that by adding a random number or a symbol to a commonly-used word/phrase, you will be able to create a unique name. You won’t! You’ll just make a clichéd name more complicated.

Now that you know what kind of name you need for your YouTube channel, all that’s left is to find it. The bad news is that this might not be that easy as it seems. The good news is that we’re here to help you!

Naming Tips and Strategies

Apart from the above-mentioned things that you must avoid. Below we have listed a few tips that you must follow:
Avoid Using Numbers: This may not seem a big deal but it is. If your channel name consists of a number, it may look auto-generated. Also, the viewers find it hard to search for such channels.

Use Name Modeling: There might be various YouTube brands that you follow. Try to look at the strategies, formula adopted by them. Or the things which make them unique enough to stand out.

Domain Name Availability: Once the channel grows, you will want to build a brand. In such a case, a domain name along with channel name can be of great help. You can engage with a .io, .co, .net as a domain name if .com doesn’t work.

Social Media Account Availability: Social media websites can bring popularity. So check the availability of your channel name of platforms like Facebook, IG, Twitter.

Though this step is not a compulsion to follow. But similar/matching URLs and channel name can be beneficial.

Keep It Simple: Rather than making things complex, try to opt for a simpler name. Go for something easy to spell, pronounce, and unique at the same time. The optimal choice here is 2-3 word phrases instead of 1 complex word.

Use a Tool: Sometimes, we fail at coming with a quirky idea/name for the channel. If you face this situation, we urge you to use Shopify Business Name Generator. Apart from this, there are other username generator tools in the market. These tools will be of great help and by a word or phrase, you will get 100 ideas.

Coming Up With the Best Channel Name

If you are having problems coming up with the perfect name for your YouTube channel, the solution might lie in basic psychology. There is a proven system that will help the right idea appear in your mind!

Here are the 5 steps of the creative process, after which you are guaranteed to pick up with a good name for your YouTube Channel!

Step 1 – Preparation

You’ve already taken care of the first step, just by reading this article. If you’ve paid attention to it, you now know what kind of traits your ideal YouTube channel name should have!

Step 2 – Incubation

If you’ve failed to find the perfect channel name by using your conscious mind, it’s time to let your subconscious do its job!

Forget about the channel name for the moment and do something else instead. You could go for a walk, take a shower, exercise, or even better, make a YouTube video! You can do whatever you like, as long as it doesn’t involve thinking about the channel’s name.

Step 3 – The Eureka Moment

Even though you’re focused on something else during the incubation stage, your brain is still working hard on finding the best name for your YouTube channel. Once it finds it, you will experience an epiphany!

Step 4 – Evaluation

Unfortunately, not every idea that you will get will be awesome. This is why you need to evaluate it before putting it into action. By this, we mean that you need to check whether the name is unique, how well it represents you and your channel, and so on.

Step 5 – Implementation

The final step of the creative process is turning the idea into reality. Actually, the best way to test whether the idea is good is to try it in practice.

You can do this by trying to say that channel name out loud. An even better alternative is to create a test video in which you talk about it. If the name sounds good, nothing is stopping you from using it for your channel.

Unique Creative YouTube Names

A good way to get inspired is to take a look at some examples of the best YouTube channel names. Some of these are funny, some are clever, while some require certain pre-knowledge in order to understand their meaning. With no further ado, here they are:

PewDiePie – If you think that this username has no meaning, you’re very wrong. Felix Kjellberg combined three words to create his username – pew (sound of a gun), die (who gets shot with a gun, dies), and pie (because it rhymes with the word “die”).

Knowing that his channel started out as a video game review vlog, it’s not a surprise that he’s used this username – most video games involve shooting.

The School of Life – Here’s an example of a channel name that explains everything about its videos. The School of Life creates content that helps users understand all aspects of life – relationships, education, emotions, philosophy, politics, etc.

Screen Junkies – As you’ve probably figured out from its name, this channel is about everything movie-related. This comedy channel takes a funny approach on movie clichés, alternative endings, etc.

The Wing Girls – The comedy channel is run by two female vloggers who provide dating tips for guys. Their channel name is a pun on the word “wingman”, meaning a friend who helps with approaching potential partners.

The Young Turks – Now, here’s a username that explains everything about the channel, but only if you understand the reference. Young Turks was a reform movement from the early 20th century that advocated freedom and democracy.

Knowing this, it’s not a surprise that this name was chosen for this political-commentary channel. Another reason why the channel bears the name The Young Turks is that its founder, Cenk Uygur, was born in Istanbul, Turkey.

WhatsUpMoms – As the name of the channel suggests, WhatsUpMoms is focused on parenting. The channel features videos providing tips and DIY instructions to mothers, in order to make parenting easier and more fun.

The Final Piece of Advice

The fact is that choosing a good name for your YouTube channel can help you a lot in your vlogging career. It can help you attract new subscribers and create a brand out of yourself.

However, if you’re finding it hard to come up with the perfect name, there’s really no need to lose your nerves. What’s most important is that you keep on making interesting videos. After all, the content is the main reason why the users are watching your videos.

Because of that, it’s important not to waste too much time in the search for the channel name. If you can’t think of a good name by yourself, why not ask your friends to help you? Or, you can use a YouTube channel name generator to get some ideas!

youtube name generator

Furthermore, you should know that changing a channel name is something that can be done in a matter of minutes. Although it’s not recommended to change the name of the channel too often, if you find a better one, nothing is stopping you from using it.

If you don’t like your current username, you can even ask your subscribers to help you find cool YouTube names that aren’t taken!

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