A Guide To Creating The Perfect YouTube Channel Name
Whether you’re an aspiring beauty guru, gaming enthusiast, or music buff, starting a YouTube channel is a great way to share your passion with the world while making money.
However, with the highly competitive YouTube landscape, passion is not enough. You’ll need compelling content, unique branding, and, most importantly, a memorable channel name to stand out. In this article, we’ll share tips and best practices on how to craft your perfect YouTube channel name with the help of our business name generator.
Let’s get started!
Why Is Your Channel Name Important?
Usually, when people think of making their YouTube channel successful, they focus on improving the content or the thumbnail. And those are indeed true! However, your channel name also has a huge impact on your overall brand identity, and, subsequently, your channel’s growth.
Why? First, your channel name is your first impression with your viewers. They see your name when they click on your videos or go to your channel. A distinct and memorable name can help stick your channel in your viewer’s minds even after they finish watching your video.
Second, your name serves as an overview of what your channel is all about. People will know what they are getting from you based on your name. A channel name that suits your brand identity and is appealing to your target audience can help you build a following and increase brand awareness.
It can also help in building trust. For example, a video about trying new watercolor paints would look more believable if it came from a channel named “CreativeStudios” instead of “Jane Smith.”
Lastly, it is for visibility. There are millions of channels on YouTube. A distinct name will make it easier for people to search and find your channel.
How To Come Up With Your YouTube Channel Name
Now that you know the importance of your channel name, it’s time to create one. Here are some of our tried and tested tips:
- Try a name generator
If you have no idea how to get started, we recommend playing around with some name generators online. Here, you can get ideas on your potential name based on prompts or keywords that you provide. You can use the name straightaway or as a starting point to jog your creative mind.
With BrandCrowd’s gaming business name generator, you can see a logo design and your channel name. This is handy if you want to visualize your overall branding.
- Use your name
Another option is to use your name. This is great if you build a personal brand or use YouTube to build yourself as an industry expert. Coaches, educators, fashion stylists, and lifestyle influencers tend to use their real names on their channels.
What if your name is too long or hard to spell? The solution – a stage name. An example is popular makeup influencers Jeffree Star and Bretman Rock. Instead of using their lengthy real names, they used a catchier stage name that easily rolls off the tongue.
- Describe your channel or niche
Lastly, why not try using a descriptive channel name? Descriptive names are great since they instantly tell your audience what value they can get from your channel. This also makes it easier for your channel to pop up when people search for keywords on YouTube.
Channels like 5-Minute Crafts and Petite Dressing accurately describe what their channels are all about. If you want to create one for yourself, try some word association exercises. List down all adjectives or words associated with your channel, then build from there.
Let’s say you want to start a yoga channel. Some words that can be used are zen, wellness, flow, mindful, harmony, peace, or serene. Try combining these words to come up with your name.
Best Practices for a Great YouTube Channel Name
By now, you should know what you want your channel name to be. Want to make it even more awesome? Here are some more tips to keep in mind:
- Keep it short and sweet
An excellent channel name is one that viewers can easily remember. Stick to 2-3 words and no more than 5 syllables. Avoid complicated spelling, hard-to-pronounce words, and excessive punctuation.
Avoid using numbers or special characters as well. Aside from making it more complicated to remember, it can make you look amateurish. Would you find a channel name like “John$mith1234” appealing? Probably not.
Simplicity can make a difference in increasing your channel’s discoverability. If you want to get more audience, it’s best to keep it short and straightforward.
- Be creative
Keeping things simple doesn’t mean being bland or generic. Let your creative spirit shine through with your username. Go for wordplays, puns, or alliterations to make your name catchy and unique.
Think of the famous nursery rhyme channel Cocomelon. They started as “ABC Kid TV” but rebranded to Cocomelon to appeal to kids. And it worked! The new name was a lot more catchy and exciting compared to their initial descriptive name, which was a little generic.
Don’t be afraid to go outside the box and be more creative to stand out. After all, memorability is one of the essential aspects of a great business name.
- Consider a global audience
YouTube is watched by people all over the world. If you want to expand your brand in the future, you’ll need to consider audiences that may not be from your home country.
Check if your name can still be understood and easily spelled by people who may not use your native language. This is more important if you’re a new channel, as using special characters or local alphabets (like Kanji or Hangul) might make it harder for you to get discovered by a global audience.
- Check the availability
Don’t forget to check if your desired name is still available. You don’t want to copy or be confused with an existing channel accidentally. Make sure to do a quick search first on Google or YouTube.
Also, even if the name is available, if there are already multiple channels with similar names (ex. “GameTV” vs. “GamingTV”, “GamersTV”), you still shouldn’t use that name. It’s better to avoid potential confusion and prioritize uniqueness to stand out.
- Be consistent with your other platforms
Make sure to also check the availability of your desired name on different social media channels and websites. This ensures that your name will be consistent across different platforms. This helps build your brand as well as build familiarity with your audience.
You need to be thinking for the long-term, even if you are starting. This sets you up nicely for potential expansion and growth in the future.
- Add keywords
Did you know that YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google? People tend to go to YouTube for more information or tutorial about something. You can leverage this by adding keywords to your channel name.
How do you do this? First is to think of your channel’s niche. Then, research for keywords that can be associated with your niche. This way, when people search for those keywords, you also increase the chances of your channel appearing.
This is important for your YouTube SEO. Add your chosen keywords to your video titles and descriptions to maximize this.
- Pair with a great logo
A beautiful and well-designed logo can help entice people to click on your channel.
Create a logo representing your brand and something your audience will find appealing. For example, edgy and cool graphics will work best for gaming channels, while logos that contain soft, minimalist lines will work for lifestyle channels.
Need some inspiration? Check out famous YouTube channel logos, or play with our AI logo generator.
Elevate Your YouTube Channel Today!
And there you have it! We hope our guide above has helped you develop a great YouTube channel name.
Remember, your channel name is your first step towards building your brand and making a mark on the YouTube world. Take the time to brainstorm, refine, and research to ensure your name resonates with you and your audience.
When you are satisfied with your name, why not take a look at our marketing templates to help promote and boost your channel? We have YouTube banners, YouTube Shorts maker, as well as YouTube Video maker waiting for you.
Jumpstart your YouTube career with BrandCrowd today!
