Naming your podcast can be intimidating. You’ve already worked hard to develop your show idea, and it can be difficult to move forward with the production process until you’ve settled on the right title. How do you choose a name that encapsulates what your podcast is about and entices people to listen?
Naming your podcast is both an art and a science, and we’ve put in the research to figure out the most effective show titles. Here are some tips and guidelines to come up with the perfect podcast name.
Consider your content.
Close your eyes and imagine your future podcast episodes. What do you plan to talk about? What questions are you interested in exploring? Will each episode revolve around a particular subject, or is your topic more open-ended? Let your vision of your content guide your naming strategy.
A great podcast name can be concrete and direct (The Michelle Obama Podcast) or abstract and mysterious (99% Invisible). Either way, it should give some indication of what your show is about—its topic, tone, theme, or format—without limiting it in terms of content. Take these names for example:
❌ The Kombucha Brew
✅ Fermentation Nation
The Kombucha Brew is a fine title if you definitely want to talk about kombucha every single episode. Fermentation Nation, on the other hand, casts a wider conversational net. This title is more flexible and allows discussion of all sorts fermented beverages, including the history and culture surrounding them.
Podcasts are a jumping off point for dynamic conversations, and your topic and episode format may evolve over time. When choosing your podcast name, think of a title that fits your initial idea but also allows room to grow. A title that’s too narrow might rigidly define your content in a way that proves constraining over time.
Keep it succinct.
When choosing your podcast name, shorter is sweeter. On average, Anchor shows are between 3-4 words and 15-20 characters long. Short names roll off the tongue. They’re easier to remember and more convenient to say out loud. You’ll have an easier time fitting your podcast name on your cover art if it’s only a couple of words, and fewer characters ensures that your entire title will render legibly on listening platforms, search engines, and image previews.
❌ A Carpenter’s Guide to Urban Woodworking
✅ DIY NYC
Your podcast name should entice the listener and make them curious to press play. A mix of direct language plus a little bit of intrigue makes for a great podcast name, and by constraining yourself to only a few words, you can arrive at a title that’s both descriptive and snappy.
Keep it search-able.
A great podcast name is easy to hear, easy to spell, and easy to find. As you’re brainstorming your title, put yourself in the mind of someone who just heard your show name for the first time and wants to find it online.
In general, your podcast should be spelled exactly as it sounds. Try to avoid creative misspellings, abbreviations, and other punctuation that may not be self-evident to those searching for your show. Your punny podcast title might work in print, but plays on words don’t always translate to audio.
❌ Eggcellent Solo Cooking @ Home w/ Katie!
✅ Table For One
To give your podcast an SEO boost, try to avoid the word “the” and special characters (!, &, @, $, etc.) in your name. Including your podcast topic in the title can make your show more discoverable to casual searchers—just be aware that this can make for a generic-sounding name, and overloading your title with too many keywords may result in rejection from listening platforms. If it doesn’t feel natural to include your topic in your title, don’t force it. There’s plenty of room for keywords in your podcast description, which are just as important for discovery.
Practice saying the name out loud.
Podcasting is an audio medium after all, so your name ought to be easy to say out loud. Your podcast name should be recognizable to people hearing it in passing, and it should be easy to pronounce when reading it off a page.
❌ From Thistles To Photosynthesis: The Cactus ‘Cast
✅ Plant Nerd
If you ever do a cross-promotion with another podcast, you’ll want your fellow hosts to be able to mention your show without confusion. Choose a name with strong sounds; words that end in “th” for instance tend to taper off and get lost in audio recordings. Try saying your name out loud in a variety of sentences and contexts. Your show name should be easy to pronounce in the abstract, but also easy to reference in regular conversation.
“Hi, I’m the host of ___________.”
“Welcome to another episode of ___________.”
“You’ve got to listen to ___________!”
“My favorite podcast is ___________.”
Last but not least, choose a name you like to say! Because you’ll be saying it. A lot.
Research and test.
Before you commit to a name, it can be helpful to do a little research. Narrow your list of ideas down to a few potential titles, and try pitching them to people you trust. Crowdsourcing opinions can provide valuable feedback and help you hear how the name flows in everyday conversation.
Do some investigating online to confirm that your podcast name isn’t already taken. Try searching “[your name idea]” + “podcast” in Google and see what comes up. You’ll likely want to create a website and social media accounts for your podcast, so double-check that your preferred domain name and social handles are all available.
To “podcast” or not to “podcast?”
It’s an age-old question: “Should I include the word ‘podcast’ in my title?” Our advice is, probably not.
If you’re an established brand with several other content platforms, including the word “podcast” in your show name could be a useful point of differentiation. Otherwise, we know what it is. Feel free to save those precious characters for something more ear-catching—it will likely work in your favor.
❌ The Transportation Podcast
✅ Road, Air, and Sea
Another thing to keep in mind is that your podcast title refers to more than just your recorded episodes. It’s your cover art, your show description, your trailer, your social accounts. Your title is an umbrella for all the material associated with your show, which may grow to include live events, merchandise, and other content.
When choosing a title, think of a dynamic name that can expand to fit your wildest dreams. The possibilities of audio creation are always expanding, and you never know how your personal brand might grow. Relying on the word “podcast” from the get-go might leave you feeling boxed in down the road.
In short, here are some guidelines for picking a great podcast name:
- Aim for 4 words or less.
- Choose a name that aligns with your content.
- Keep it succinct and intriguing.
- Try to avoid the words “The” and “Podcast.”
- Avoid special characters, misspellings, abbreviations, and punctuation.
- Your name should be easy to spell and pronounce.
- Make sure it’s not already taken.
- Gather some outside opinions.
- Think about how your show might evolve over time.
- Choose a name you like saying out loud.
Picking a podcast name might feel difficult, but don’t let it prevent you from sharing your voice. Sometimes a show needs to exist in the world before it can be given a title. If you find yourself feeling stuck, the best thing to do is start creating. Record some mock episodes or soft-launch with a placeholder name. There’s always room for adjustment later on.
At the end of the day, listeners are tuning in for you and your content—not your podcast title. If you make great episodes that keep people engaged, your podcast name will fall into place.
Need some more inspiration? Check out this resource on podcast name ideas.
By Anchor
