How To Choose The Perfect Name For Your Blog: Blog Name Ideas & Examples
Been planning to start a blog but you don’t know how to come up with a blog name that represents you? I got you covered! Here is the ultimate breakdown plus my top tips on coming up with a name for your new blog that will sound and feel like you!
And I even include examples of how real people came up with name ideas for their blogs or businesses! Here is what you have to do:
- Come up with ideas
- Check to see if they are taken
- Narrow them down and pick one
Keep in mind that this post contains affiliate links and I will be rewarded a small commission in the event of a sale. I only promote products that are a must for new bloggers and that I myself tried and used!
How To Come Up With A Blog Name: Ideas & Examples
The first step is to come up with a few blog name ideas. Unless you’re one of those people who just have a dream about the perfect name and stick with that one (but you’re reading this post, so I don’t think you are), you will need a list of potential blog names to choose from down the line.
So reserve a spot in your notebook just to write down blog name ideas or create an online note (I use Evernote). This will save you from prematurely picking a name that you might not like in the future and give you plenty of options to run by your friends and family for feedback.
Here are a few creative ways to come up with options (some of which I used myself):
💎 1. FIGURE OUT WHY YOU WANT TO BLOG AND WHAT YOU WANT TO BLOG ABOUT
This one is quite obvious but it’s so crucial that I had to mention it first. Your blog name should reflect two things: your why & your what.
So why do you want to blog? What’s your blogging mission? Who do you want to reach? What topics are you going to be writing about? What do you want to be known for?
Go ahead and download my free Vision Map if you need help deciding what path to take in your blogging journey.
Answer those questions and keep them in mind when picking a blog name because you want people to get a taste of all that just by reading your blog title.
💎 2. DRAW A MIND MAP USING VOCABULARY
Let’s say your blog will not be about just one topic, so that makes deciding on a name a bit harder. But it also gives you a lot more opportunities in terms of the words you use.
When I started The She Approach, I was convinced that I want to write about empowering women, lifestyle, books and travel. So I made a mind map for all the topics that decided on and added a few keywords under each that I proceeded to mix up together to find something unique.
For example:
- TRAVEL: wonder, adventure, roaming, sigh-seeing, plane, away etc.
- BOOKS: pages, reading, bookworm, reviews, avid reader, library mouse, shelves etc.
- NAME IDEAS: The Roaming Bookworm, Just A Plane Away, Wondering pages etc.
The idea is that you create lists for each topic or idea you have and you mix them up to come up with unique blog names. You can even insert your own name in there such as: Ana Ventures, Ana’s Shelves, Wondering Ana and so on.
In the end, I went with The She Approach because it was a way to encompass all my ideas under one umbrella (my approach on life which turned to my approach to blogging).
If you’re not quite sure what topics you want to pursue and you might change it down the line, be sure to pick a name that will allow you to do so.
💎 3. USE ONLINE GENERATORS
If you want to use made-up names or can’t think of good combinations of names yourself, use free online generators to find out more options.
For most, you can include some keywords and they will suggest other words that go with them. Even if most won’t make sense or won’t be relevant, if you’re out of ideas, this is a great way to keep them coming and get some inspiration.
You can use the Shopify Business Name Generator, The Fantasy Name Generator, The Username Generator or the Screen Name Generator.
In the end, go with your gut and don’t be afraid to use some wordplay!
💎 4. BE CREATIVE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Here are a few more ideas to keep in mind when compiling your list of blog names:
- Choose a name that will attract your target audience
- Use foreign names/words that sound memorable and have a hidden meaning
- Keep it under 3-4 words
- Make sure it’s easy to remember and to spell
- Use keywords in it if possible (it will boost your SEO)
- Ask your friends to contribute ideas
💎 5. GET INSPIRED
Do you still need a few more ideas of how to come up with the perfect blog name? Ask your blogger friends or read a few examples that I’ve gathered below of how people came up with names for their blogs or businesses:
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Chloe: I chose A Cold Cup of Chloe because as a mother I always end up drinking cold cups of coffee and most of my blog is parenting related.
Shell: I wanted to focus on bridging the gap between opt-in and paid offer, but I wanted it to be fun. I was feeling a little Willie Wonka at the time and came up with The Funnelry. Like a bakery or factory, where you put something in one end (subscribers) and it comes out yummy at the other end (sales).
Leslie: My business was named after my food/lifestyle blog, The Whole Life Balance. That was more so because I wanted everything to be housed under one “business” umbrella. I came up with the name for that blog because I was still teaching at the time, and I follow a real food diet and a holistic lifestyle. So, I was interested in blogging about how to balance a chaotic career, like teaching, with that kind of lifestyle, which typically requires a lot of meal planning, food prep, etc.
Chris: I used Dynamic Web Consultants as my company name, as our teams are faced paced, energetic with positive attitudes and always coming up with new ideas to help out clients succeed with their business. Seems clichéd but it works for us and our clients.
Amy: It’s what I do…. Hiding in the Closet with Coffee. It’s a parenting survival blog clearly.
Montserrat: Cranial Hiccups – because every once in a while, and totally unintentionally, my brain spews out a good idea
Morgan: I choose Meraki- a Modern Greek word, derived from the Turkish “Merak” (Labor of love, to do something with pleasure) is often used to describe what happens when you leave a piece of yourself (your soul, creativity, or love) in your work. And so Meraki Media was born.
Clare: My name is Clare and I blog about skin care. I wanted my audience to immediately get that I’d be sharing safe, proven and effective tips, so “Skincerely Clare” it is!
Katarina: I have a food blog, so it has to be something food related, but not too obvious. Also, as there are about a bazillion (brilliant) food blogs (with awesome names) out there, it needs to stand out. I was wavering between ‘The Crazy Spatula’ and ‘The Loopy Whisk’ – two of my favorite kitchen utensils, plus, well, life’s crazy. I ended up with ‘The Loopy Whisk’ because I preferred the subtle wordplay.
Melissa: I’m launching my blog to help busy moms take charge of their lives. I started out with something else and a slightly different focus, but I refined my niche and all of a sudden Woman in Charge hit me. I love it and it inspires me to get to work.
Lorinda: Rebel Without a Budget – I spent forever trying to come up with a name, I have a notebook filled with hundreds of ideas and none of them were right. But as soon as I wrote this one down, I knew it was perfect because it describes exactly what I do but has a bit of my personality built in. I’m in the personal finance niche and teach people how to be financially successful on their own terms. I break the number one rule of personal finance – budgeting – so I think ‘rebel’ is fitting.
Carly: I liked the movie Flight of the Navigator when I was younger… And I’m a teacher who travels. Flight of the Educator!
Liz: Little Holidays – At first I wanted to build a travel blog that was more for other busy people and entrepreneurs, rather than the hardcore “travel lifestyle” community. Not everyone can afford or are interested in a constantly-traveling lifestyle, but a “little holiday” is something everyone can use every now and then. I also love it because it’s not limited to travel. You can have a little holiday at home – while cooking a meal, reading a book, redesigning your living room. Little Holidays are everywhere, and that’s why I love it
The examples above show that there is no right or wrong way to come up with a name. Different techniques might work for different people (I even hired someone on Fiverr to come up with blog name ideas for me). So give it your best shot!
How To See If Your Ideal Blog Name Is Taken
Before you try to decide which name from your list you should go with, start ruling them out by checking to see if they are taken or associated with something else.
You can simply google the names and see what pops up. You also want to make sure that the URL and the social media handles are available.
To see if your domain name is available (and maybe even secure it if you’ve decided on a name already), use the little box below:
If you’ve found the ideal blog name and it happens to be available, don’t waste any time! (The good ones get taken really fast)
Read my step-by-step walkthrough guide on How To Start A Blog In 2022 and get your domain name for free for the first year by going self-hosted with Bluehost.
A great resource to find out if your blog name and social media handles are available is Name Check. Simply insert the blog name in the box at the top and see if it’s taken or not. (Make sure to write the name without any spaces if it has more than one word in it such as “anawonders” instead of Ana Wonders.)
Cross out the names on your list that do not have the .com domain available, that are taken by a different blogger or associated with another brand (they might have trademarked the name and you don’t want to get into any legal trouble).
If there’s a name that’s not available that you truly love and you don’t want to give up on it, try to come up with similar names or change the order of the words. (Ex: Make Ana Wonders into Wondering Ana, Ana That Wonders, Wonder Ana and so on.)
Check For Trademarks Before Choosing A Blog Name
Once you’ve narrowed down the list to a couple of favourite choices, you want to make sure that those names are not already taken or registered to someone else (which can put you in a legal bind). Here’s how to check:
- Do a quick Google Search of the “blog name” in quote marks
- Check the US Trademark database
- If you’re a UK blogger, check the GOV.UK trademark database
This is a free and easy process that will allow you to choose a creative and unique name, without stepping on anyone’s trademark, copyrights and so on.
As you’re getting ready to start your blog, I would also check out this free legal course for bloggers to make sure you are complying with the law.
How To Pick The Perfect Blog Name
If you’ve followed all the steps so far, you should be left with a list of names that:
- reflect what your blog is going to be about
- are not taken or associated with anything else
All you have to do now is narrow them down. Start by ordering them from your most favorite to your least favorite. Cross the last ones out. Create a process of elimination that works for you, ask tough questions and pick a top 10, top 5 or top 3 that you like the most.
Imagine your blog being called that. Picture yourself saying “I’m a blogger at…”. How does it feel? Does it sound like you? Does it get you excited?
If you can’t decide, send out that list of top 10 or top 5 to your friends and family and asked them to vote. See which name gets the most votes. Create a top 3 out of that.
And then have the final call. It sometimes happens that you secretly want your friends to vote for a certain name but they don’t. Take that as a clue. Go with your gut.
No one knows better what’s meant for you than you.
Trust the process & pick your favourite. And this is how to come up with a domain name for a blog.
How To Start Your First Blog
Once you’ve picked a name, it’s time to secure it and make sure someone else doesn’t snatch it from you. When you’re all ready to start a blog, just read the step by step guide below where I walk you through buying hosting, choosing your blog name and designing your website (all without any tech skills or knowledge).
For hosting, I highly recommend my provider, Bluehost, and as a platform WordPress (they are in charge of over 74 million websites). Here’s why this is the perfect combo:
- You get a one-click WordPress installation & integration
- It’s the number 1 web-hosting provider recommended by WordPress itself
- Incredibly easy to use, navigate and you can have your website up in less than a day
- The most affordable and high-tech web host out there
- You get the domain name (your .com URL) free for the first year
>> READ MY GUIDE ON HOW TO START A BLOG HERE <<
If you want a step-by-step guide that will walk you through everything you need to know, from setting up your website to look professional, to publishing your first blog post and making your first dollar, be sure to enroll in my free course below:
RECOMMENDED READS
- How to Nail Your Blog Logo Design
- What is hosting and why do you need it
- 7 things I wish I knew before I started blogging
- The importance of mapping out your blogging vision
- The Best 20 Courses For Bloggers At Any Stage
- How To Legally Use Photos On Your Blog
Do you have a good story about how you came up with your blog/business name? Share it in the comments section below! I’d love to know.
