Take a moment to think about your favorite YouTubers. Can you name any of their channels off the top of their head, without looking it up? If you can do that, then that means those creators did an amazing job picking their channel names. 

The right YouTube channel name has the power to help you raise awareness from your brand without even trying. If it’s memorable enough, potential subscribers will have a much easier time remembering you and have no trouble looking up your videos whenever they want. 

There’s obviously a lot riding on picking a good name for your YouTube channel, especially if you want one that will help you raise brand awareness and define your content – possibly for years to come! 

That’s why we created this step-by-step guide to teach you how to pick the right YouTube channel name. Follow along and let us help you save time and pick a fantastic title that you and your fans will love!

Step-By-Step Guide To Picking the Right YouTube Channel Name

Open your notes on your phone or computer or break out the traditional pencil and paper. It’s time to start the process of finding your ideal YouTube channel name!

Whether this is the first time you’ve ever started your own YouTube channel, or you’re a veteran for whom the creative juices simply aren’t flowing, the following six steps will launch you down the path to channel name greatness as fast as possible. 

Let’s go!

Step #1: Consider Your Content Niche

The first step we recommend is to consider your content niche. 

Many creators like their name to say something about what type of content viewers can expect from their channel. To do that, they choose a keyword that describes their niche and place it somewhere in their name. For example, some gamer YouTubers will include the word “gaming” in their names. 

Including a keyword from their content niche can also help YouTubers rank higher in search results. This is a strategy called search engine optimization (SEO) which every YouTube creator should know!

This first step can also be helpful if you’re looking for a name for a second or third channel that you’ve started. You’ll want to clearly distinguish this new channel from your older ones, and you can do so by incorporating the niche for the new channel in the name.

Step #2: Add a Personal Touch

Now that you’ve considered your content niche, it’s time to make your channel name more personal. 

When we say, “personal,” we don’t mean that you have to include your real name (although you can if you want to). We just mean that it should feel personal to you, even if no one else knows its significance. 

For example, if your favorite flower is a lily, you could put that in your channel name to make it “you.”

You could also use a pet’s name; a name, place, or thing from one of your favorite pieces of media, like a book or a movie; your lucky number; or anything else you can think of, as long as it means something to you. 

We recommend this step because it’s an efficient way to ensure that your channel name is both unique and expressive of your personality. But of course, there may be times when you want to skip it. For example, you may have a business already established and decide to name your channel after it. 

Step #3: Keep It Short

When you’re naming your channel, you must make sure that it stays under 60 characters, since that is YouTube’s limit. 

You’d be surprised how many words you can fit into 60 characters! But we still recommend that you keep the name short and sweet – no more than 2-3 words long. 

Why? Because a shorter name is easier for people to remember. It’s also easier to translate a shorter name into branding and marketing.

To sum it up, remember that just because you have 60 characters to play with doesn’t mean you have to come right under that limit! Less really is more.

Step #4: Use a YouTube Name Generator

For step 4, let’s assume that you’ve already brainstormed some name options by considering your content niche, adding a personal touch, and keeping it short. But maybe you’re not satisfied with what you’ve come up with so far, or maybe you want to see the different ways that your ideas can be combined. 

Either way, a YouTube name generator is your friend! This is a free online tool that uses your prompts to randomly generate YouTube channel name ideas. If you see one you like, all you have to do is check to make sure it’s not already in use, and if not, feel free to take it for yourself! 

Using a YouTube name generator may seem like cheating, but it can also give you a lot more ideas that you never thought of before. 

Step #5: Make Sure It’s Not Already Being Used

We briefly touched on this in the previous step, but it warrants its own step. 

Whenever you brainstorm a YouTube channel name – on your own or with the help of a YouTube name generator – always make sure it’s not already being used by someone else! If someone else is using it, YouTube won’t let you take it, which will put you back at square one. 

But don’t just check YouTube. Check other social media platforms, as well, including TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. Perform a general Google search for the name and find out if there are any websites using that name. 

This step is probably the most important one of all. The last thing you want to do is pick a channel name that someone else is already using. You also don’t want a name that’s associated with a completely different content niche – or worse, with something negative. 

So, research your name carefully before making it your forever YouTube channel name. You could save yourself a lot of pain and frustration, not to mention copyright claims!

Step #6: Consider the Future of  Your Channel

The last step is to consider the future of your channel. Where do you see yourself going in the next few months and years? Does the name you selected fit that vision? Is it flexible enough to grow with you or will you find yourself regretting it down the road? 

Answering those questions are key to picking a YouTube name that will be just the right fit for as long as you keep your channel open.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How Do I Know If a YouTube Channel Name is Taken?

If a YouTube channel name is taken, YouTube will not allow you to use it when you type it in when you’re setting up your channel details. 

• Should My YouTube Channel Name be My Name?

Your YouTube channel can be your name, but it doesn’t have to be. It can also be something completely unrelated to your identity, so that you can preserve your anonymity.

• How Do I Pick a Good Channel Name? 

To pick a good channel name, consider your content niche; add a personal touch; keep it under 60 characters; and follow the other steps we recommend above.

Conclusion

Stop agonizing over finding the right YouTube channel name! Take the time to follow the above six steps, and you’ll soon have a unique channel name that’s right up there with your favorite famous creators!