When you want to start a blog, one of the first things you’ll need to do is pick a domain name.
Your blog’s domain will represent what your blog is all about to the world. It’ll be one of the main things people remember about your blog.
So, how do you choose a good name for your blog? A good blog name is short, easy to read and “brandable”. You want to pick a blog name that people can remember and easily type into the URL bar. It’s also best to stick to a “.com” domain because these look most professional.
Coming up with a name for your blog doesn’t have to be hard! But there are a few things you should keep in mind so you make the right choice.
Here are some tips you can use to make sure you pick the best name for your blog:
How to choose a name for your blog
Keep it short
When choosing a name for your blog, keep it relatively short. One word, a combination of two words or even a combination of 3-4 short words would be ideal.
The easier and quicker it is for people to type, the better!
Pick something easy to read
Your blog’s name should be simple and easy to read. Pick words that are easy to spell and don’t have too many repeating letters.
If your blog’s name has two or more words in it, make sure they look good together when spelled without spaces. Some words don’t mesh well and end up looking like one long, strange word rather than separate words.
Make it “brandable”
Pick a domain name that’s catchy, unique and memorable! That may seem difficult, but all of the tips in this post will help you come up with a brandable name.
Here’s an example: A blog called “CraftyHands” is much more brandable than a blog called “HowToSewForBeginners”.
Avoid being too focused
While it’s a good idea to pick a name that fits your blog’s niche, try to pick one that isn’t too focused. That way, you won’t feel like you’re stuck writing about a specific topic if you decide you want to branch out.
Ultimately, you can write about whatever you want despite what your blog is called. But it may feel a little strange if you decide to write about camping on a blog called “HowToSewForBeginners”.
Don’t use hyphens
Hyphens can be used in domains, but they people tend to think they look messy and unprofessional. Avoiding hyphens will help your blog look more trustworthy.
Your blog’s name will also be much easier to remember if you don’t use hyphens.
Go with a .com domain
.com is the MOST professional looking domain type. It’s recommended over .net, .org, .co, etc. Besides looking most professional, .com domains are also the most memorable.
Even if you want a certain domain name that’s available as a .net, .org, etc. but not available as a .com, I’d still recommend trying to come up with another domain name that’s available as a .com.
Tips on coming up with a good blog name
Now you know the top tips you should keep in mind when settling on a domain name, but how do you actually come up with the name? Here are a few methods you can use:
1. Think about your niche and see if anything comes to mind
Perhaps all you need to do to think of the perfect domain name is sit for a second and cycle through a few ideas that come to mind. Who knows… You may come up with a great name!
2. Make a list of words that relate to your niche
If method 1 doesn’t work out, try creating a list of words that relate to your niche. Then, see if any of the words you like are available as a .com domain.
Single word .com domains can be pretty hard to get these days (unless you want to buy one from a previous owner for a higher price), so don’t get discouraged if a single word domain you like isn’t available.
Instead, try to find a combination of words from your list that you like and check if any of those are available.
3. Use a domain name generator like DomainWheel
DomainWheel is a free tool you can use to generate domain names! Simply type one or more words that relate to your niche into the search bar. Then click the Search Domain to get a list of available domain names.
Be sure to use the drop-down menu next to the Search Domain button so you can choose to search for available .com domains only.
I used the words “sewing” and “love” in the above photo to generate domain names for a sewing blog. As you can see, the options you get aren’t always the best. But it’s still a great way to help come up with ideas!
Where to buy a domain
There are several websites where you can purchase a domain name. I personally use Namecheap.com to buy my domains. Godaddy.com is a popular option as well.
You can also get a FREE domain name if you sign up for hosting with Bluehost.
Looking to start a blog? Click here to check out my step-by-step tutorial on how to start a blog if you want to learn more about getting a free domain name and starting a blog with Bluehost.
Can I change my domain name?
While it’s possible to change your domain name, I would NOT recommend picking a random domain name and relying on the idea that you can change it later.
Changing a domain name requires you do to a lot of manual steps that could potentially cause problems with your blog, cause you to lose traffic and more. It’s best to choose your blog’s name carefully so you can avoid having to change it at all.
If you really don’t like your domain name and want to change it, contact the customer support team at your hosting service. They can walk you through how to change your domain name and help you along the way.
That’s everything you need to know about how to choose a name for your blog!
These tips should help you come up with your domain name easily! In summary, choose a name that’s relatively short, easy to read, excludes hyphens and uses .com.
If you’re ready to start your first blog, head on over to my beginner blogging tutorial where you’ll learn all about blogging as a business.
Have you chosen your blog’s domain name yet?