“What should I name my podcast?!” is the first question any new podcaster asks themselves. After all, your podcast name – like your cover art, music, and content – is the most important part of your podcast’s brand. It’s the first thing your listeners see, it’s what they use to find your show and it’s what they use to recommend it to their friends.
With 2 million+ podcasts now in the world, it’s important to launch your podcast with an eye-catching, ear-grabbing name that will stand the test of time.
Some podcasts are easier to name than others. Some podcasts are difficult to summarize in a sub-30 character way. Don’t worry – even if you have one in mind already, we’re going to help you to decide on a winning podcast name that will set your podcast up for success.
In this guide, we’ll cover our best advice for creating a great podcast name, give you some real-life name examples from actual podcasts and answer some of the trickier questions surrounding podcast name politics.
In this article:
3 Important Things to Consider When Choosing Your Podcast Name
Choosing a podcast name sounds easy, but it’s too important to rush your decision! There are a few things that you must consider during the podcast naming process, so let’s look at them now.
1. Check Your Podcast Name Isn’t Taken
First things first, make sure there isn’t a podcast already out there with your name on it. Unlike domain names, it’s not impossible to have 2 podcasts with the same name, but it isn’t great, either. It will make your podcasting life a lot easier if your name is unique for both branding and SEO reasons.
How do you tell if your podcast name is taken? Look at the search engines:
- Head to Apple Podcasts and search for your name. The results will bring up exact or nearest matches, which is good for market research and inspiration!
- Next, check domain names and social media handles, as someone may be using your name for something that’s not podcasting. If neither are taken, reserve them there and then before anyone else does.
2. Don’t Overcomplicate It
It’s easy to get cute with podcast names. Similarly, it’s easy to create names that you have to explain. Don’t assume everyone knows what you’re talking about, or that everyone is in on the reference. Over-complicating your name or going too niche could confuse or put off potential listeners. Remember, you want them to feel welcomed to your podcast, not alienated by niche terms or references!
Sure, you can use puns, wordplay and catchphrases to name your podcast. On the other hand, sometimes it’s better to go literal. Go back to the drawing board and think about who your podcast is for and what its core purpose is.
For example, our podcast The Podcast Accelerator is meant to help you accelerate growth and skills in podcasting. Captivate Insider gives you a behind-the-scenes insight into what’s new on the platform.
3. Make Sure It’s Easy to Remember
Keeping your podcast name simple and descriptive is extremely important for podcast discoverability and SEO, as well as for listening on smart speakers.
A large part of how people find podcasts is through word-of-mouth recommendations and browsing through directories, so it’s a big advantage to have a name that is easy to say, spell and remember. That way, new listeners don’t have to work hard to find you in the directories.
Pro-tip: If you want to add more context to your podcast name, you can add a subtitle in your Captivate show settings or on your cover art.
4. Keep It Under 30 Characters Long
You never see podcast cover art larger than 500 pixels wide. Ordinarily, you’d see podcast artwork on your phone where it might be a tenth of the size. For this reason, it has be easily readable at small resolutions and sizes.
The same applies to your podcast name! Making your name longer than it needs to be risks it being clipped off by directories, and frankly is a waste of space.
Keeping it short will give potential listeners everything they need to know right at their fingertips. Save them the job of manually searching around for your full title (they won’t) and aim for something snappy, concise and under 30 characters long.
Podcast Name Inspiration: How 5 Captivate Podcasters Came Up with Theirs
Need some ideas for podcast names? We’ve asked 5 Captivate podcasters for the story behind their decisions to give you some real-life inspiration. Here’s what they said:
Jason Wiehler, It All Works:
“My podcast name It All Works was created because I use the phrase “it all works” a lot when I speak about marketing strategy.”
Tip: Do you have a catchphrase or mantra you use regularly that might be relevant to your podcast topic?
Arys Déjan, The Who & How Club:
‘“Who” we are as people and how people answered this question always intrigued me, and I always felt that we make the world go round, which means we’re the whos and hows of this world, hence the title, The Who & How Club. So, on the show, we focus on “Who” you are and “How” you became the you that you are today, and all of those intricate details of your journey in between.”
Tip: Think about what you discuss on your show and try to think of common themes that tie everything together.
Nat Jackson, See Sporty Be Sporty:
“We went with See Sporty Be Sporty as it’s a tagline we use for the impact of Role Models in sport. It doesn’t mention gender and sport, which is what we’re mainly about, but it is a name that our existing followers would know us for, which we felt was important.”
Tip: Do you have a tagline or phrase you or your brand is known for or that your audience might recognise you from?
Stephanie Fuccio, Geopats:
I first started to podcast about expat stories but it was too restrictive. There were non-expats who had the same global view of the world that I wanted to interview also. So I needed a broader term for the expat community. Since ‘geo’ has a global meaning, I blended it with expats and came up with Geopats.
Tip: Try brainstorming a few relevant words or phrases relating to your podcast. See if you can combine them.
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Caitlin Ward, Amateur Intellectuals:
“We wanted something that made fun of the idea of being intellectual, while still reflecting that we wanted to learn more. We considered “The Finer Things Club” from the U.S. version of the Office, but my co-host Kendall Smith came up with the most brilliant title, Amateur Intellectuals. From there, we knew it had to be two words that were sort of opposites. Hence Amateur Intellectuals Podcast.”
Tip: Think about how your podcast name can reflect the tone and content of your episodes. What kind of message do you want to send to prospective listeners?
Podcast Names: FAQ
Let’s iron out a few frequently asked questions around podcast names.
Do You Need to Trademark Your Podcast Name?
If you’re putting a considerable amount of time into your podcast, it makes sense to want to make sure no one can come along and start another podcast with the same name as yours.
The truth is: trademarking costs money (lots of it). All the official fuss and paperwork isn’t necessary if you’re a new or hobby podcaster. Sure, someone could come along and rip off your podcast name, but your listeners would still be subscribed to your RSS feed. And that’s the absolute worst case scenario.
However, if you make a living from your podcast, or you run your podcast alongside an already-established brand or business, it makes sense to register a trademark for it in order to protect your other branded assets and intellectual property.
For example, it would be really disruptive if you designed an entire membership course around your podcast only for another show to appear with the exact same name and concept. In that sense, registering your podcast name will give you the peace of mind that it’s protected from plagiarism or legal disputes should they ever arise.
If you want to trademark for your podcast, we recommend consulting with a legal professional like Gordon Firemark who’ll be able to give you the best advice.
Can You Have the Same Podcast Name as Another Podcast?
As we mentioned earlier in this article, it’s important to do a quick check online and on Apple Podcasts to make sure your name idea isn’t taken. If it is, that podcast has the right to claim and use that name, whether or not it’s a registered trademark. They had it first.
While there’s nothing to stop you using the same name, you could end up in legal trouble if you do. Plus, having the same podcast name as someone else just makes life harder for you when it comes to domain names, social media handles and discoverability. It’s probably best to just think of something else.
Can You Change the Name of Your Podcast?
What happens if you grow out of your podcast name? After a while, if your show has changed course or you feel your name no longer reflects your content, you can switch it up. However, there are a few important things to consider before you make the change:
- Let your listeners know. Your podcast name is the way your listeners find your show within their apps. If they go to search for it and it’s not there, you risk losing listeners altogether. So, if you plan on changing your podcast name, give your audience plenty of notice. Do this by recording a bonus episode and publicising it on your website and social media. Let them know when to expect the change and tell them why it’s happening. Listeners love to be involved and might have some helpful feedback for you too!
- Update everything with your new name quickly. Yes, this sounds like common sense, and it is. You’d be surprised how many busy podcasters forget to update their social media handles, domain names, Podchaser profiles or Patreons! Avoid any confusion by globally updating all instances of your podcast online as soon as you make the change.
How to Change Your Podcast’s Name
Like all of your show settings, your podcast’s name is simply a tag within your RSS feed. It can be easily and instantly updated from within your podcast hosting account. Your new name will show on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), Spotify, Google etc shortly afterwards. Here’s how to do it:
- Log into your Captivate account
- Click ‘Edit Show settings’ in the top left-hand corner of the dashboard
- Type in your new podcast name and scroll down to save your settings
- Done! Your new podcast name will now show in your RSS feed and will appear in directories shortly after.
Get Help Choosing Your Podcast Name with the Podcast Launch Accelerator Crib Sheet!
So, to recap: choosing a name for your podcast is a crucial first step of starting any new show and it can be surprisingly tricky! If you’re finding it difficult, we can help you out right now.
Download our free Podcast Launch Accelerator crib sheet for 30+ pages of quick prompts, easy exercises and video coaching to help you settle on a name and concept that works for you!
Recommended Reading
- Need constructive feedback on your podcast name or idea? Look no further than our international Facebook group for inspiration and advice from podcasters like you!
- Get detailed steps on How to Start A Podcast, from initial idea right through to launch (and what to do next) with our definitive guide.
- Once you’ve settled on a name, make sure your cover art’s just as good! Read our 5 Do’s and Don’ts for Creating Knock-Out Podcast Logos and Cover Art Design.
