Your YouTube channel name is the main part of branding so it's best to give it second thoughts before deciding. Still, you can't let this decision hold you in place for too long from starting your YouTube channel.

So how do you find the best YouTube channel name you won't regret later on?

In this post, I gathered everything you should know about choosing the right name based on the purpose of your channel. I'll go over:

⭐ The most asked questions about YouTube channel names

⭐ YouTube channel names tips

⭐ How to come up with the best YouTube channel name

⭐ YouTube channel name generators to trigger your inspiration

⭐ How to verify YouTube channel name availability

⭐ How to set up your YouTube channel name

Let's get to it.

Simply put – Yes, yes it does. A lot. Your YouTube channel name is what grabs people's attention. And it's the main aspect people associate with your channel. It's true that it doesn't mean that if you don't have the perfect name channel you can't become a successful YouTuber. But the name plays a huge role in the growth of your channel and in the way viewers perceive your brand.

There's often a miss conception between the YouTube channel name and username. They are two different things. And you can have the same name for both (which is ideal), or you can have two different names.

The channel name is what people see and associate with your channel.

The username is what makes the URL of your channel.

When you first create your YouTube channel, the URL is made out of random characters. In the past, the URL you chose was permanent. Now, YouTube lets you deactivate or claim a new URL three times a year. You can claim a customized URL after you reached 100 subscribers and your channel is at least 30 days old.

Some of them are, some of them aren't. There can usually be more channels with the same name. But if the names are restricted or copyrighted, then there must be something to differentiate them like an uppercase or an extra character. If you try, for example, to create a YouTube channel with the same name as an established YouTuber, you'll get a “This name is restricted” message.

I suggest you don't rush into choosing a name that's already been used even if you can do it. Having the same channel name as a couple other creators will make it hard for people to find you. And, you don't want your channel to be mistaken as someone else's.

This may, or may not be the best choice for your channel. It all depends on the scope of your channel.

If you want to grow a YouTube channel around your personality, then it's totally fine to use your name as the YouTube channel name. There are a lot of successful YouTubers who use their names as the channel name because they are the brand: Jenna Marbles, Tony Robbins, Joe Penna. In fact, most vlog channel names are the name of the vlogger.

On the other hand, if you're aiming to promote a business, the best name you can choose for your YouTube channel is your business name. When you want to promote a business, you want people coming to your channel remembering your brand's name.

So the biggest question to ask before making this decision is: Do you want people to remember your name or you want them to remember the name of your brand? Think about what decision aligns best with the goals you have for your YouTube channel.

Here's a guideline of the best practices on how to choose YouTube channel name.

Think overall

Even if you're starting a YouTube channel as a mean to promote your business, make money, or you simply love vlogging, YouTube won't be your only social presence. You'll also have social media accounts associated with your channel. Maybe even a blog. So think about the feel of the brand you want to grow as a whole, not just the YouTube channel.

Short and memorable

The best YouTube channel name is memorable and easy to recall. You want people to remember your channel name as it will make it easier for them to find you and spread the word about your channel. Shorter names are usually easier to stick in one's mind so do your best to keep it brief and on point.

Readable

You can't really remember something you can't even read out loud. And you'll also have to say your channel name out loud when you'll be promoting it on other channels. Stay away from too complex wordplays that are hard to read.

Hello capital letters

If you come up with a YouTube channel name that's made out of more words, you can improve its readability by separating the words with capitalized letters. It makes it easier for people to follow the words and separate them. Take a look at these examples: CrashCourse / crashcourse, WonderWhy / wonderwhy, SoulPancake / soulpancake. Which ones are easier to read and more enjoyable to see?

No numbers

Avoid adding numbers to your YouTube channel name just because the one you want is not available. Numbers add an unprofessional look to a name. Only use numbers if they have a strong correlation with your brand. For example, 5-Minute Crafts has a good reason to have a number in the name. But HazelWriter38 has no excuse. If the name is taken, brainstorm some more, don't settle.

Easy to spell

People might search for your channel later on, so you want something that they will know how to spell without spending years of trying. If your name is confusing and hard to spell, when you'll be talking about your channel name somewhere else you'll have to spell it out for people so they'll know how to look you up. If you'll be using your own name and people don't usually know how to spell it right, you can use an abbreviation of it.

Signal the topic

The YouTube channel name can say a lot about the channel itself if it's properly chosen. Try to include something relevant to your topic in the name. This will make users interested in the topic be more curious about your channel if they see the name popping out somewhere. For example, The Health Nerd. If you see this name you know from the beginning what to expect from the channel.

Spark emotions

There's no arguing that words triggering emotions have a greater chance of drawing more curiosity and get more attention. If your channel name can spark something in people's brain by itself, it's best to do so. For example, “Cooking A Dream” manages to add the excitement of cooking to the mix.

Add something popping to it

Besides adding the topic of your channel in the name, you can combine it with a catchy word to make it more stunning. Epic, heroic, or fearless are some examples of powerful words that can be used.

Rhymes, puns, word plays, alliteration

Creative YouTube channel names usually perform better. Take as an example JENerationDIY. This YouTuber managed a wordplay with her name and the strong word “generation”, while also keeping the topic in the name.

Leave room for growing

If you get too specific with your YouTube channel name, it can get tricky in the future to add different kinds of topics to your videos. For example, if you now focus on sewing dresses, don't get to the point where you name your channel “DressSewd”. If you want to also upload videos on sewing shirts or skirts later on, the name will become confusing for your audience.

Look for similar names

After you come up with the YouTube channel name, type that into Google and YouTube and see what pops up. If there's a lot of established content around that name, it's best to make some tweaks. Maybe change one of the words or add one more. You want to differentiate yourself from the others so it's best to stay away from jumping on a name that already has lots of noise around it.

Part of how to think of a good YouTube channel name is brainstorming. You have to find the words that best describe your channel. I'll lay down an exercise you can try so you come up with a unique channel name in 5 easy steps.

Grab a piece of paper or open up a spreadsheet. I would suggest using the ol' paper and pen as it gives you more room for creativity.

Step 1. Head down to PowerThesaurus and keep it at hand

The first words coming to your mind will be the most common and obvious ones. But you don't have to stop there. Use the PowerThesaurus by adding in the words you come up with. You'll get a variety of synonyms to chose from. If you see a word that makes an impression on you, write it on your brainstorm list.

Step 2. What words best describe the topic of your channel?

What will your channel's going to be about? Start by laying down all the words that pop into your head when you think about the niche you're in. For example, if you are in the gaming niche, some words that will come right away are gaming, gameplay, and quest. Write down the most obvious ones, but also think about unconventional words that can be used to describe something related to gaming.

Step 3. What words best describe you or your brand?

If you're looking to grow a YouTube channel that brands you personally as an expert in a certain niche, words like guru, advisor, explorer are some words to consider. If you're looking to market a business, you can turn to words like top notch, power, network, or elite. Think about what makes you – you, or your brand – the brand that it is.

Step 4. How do you want people to perceive you or your brand?

Now it's time to add personality and trigger emotions with powerful words like statement, freedom, or mystery. Maybe you are a fun person and you would like to highlight it in the channel name. Then brainstorm on words like fun, joy, cheerful. If you're into arts, you can think of words like creativity, colorful, or whatever word that can define your style.

Step 5. Create your YouTube channel name

Now that you have a list of possible words you could use for your YouTube channel name, it's time to play around with them. There's no science to it. Take words from each column and mix them around. You don't need to think about the name being perfect at this point. Just mix the words and come up with different combinations. Most of them will probably be bad, but it will help you enter a creative state where a great YouTube channel name idea can flash at any time.

You can also think about puns and wordplays you can achieve with those words.

The best ideas come from letting your mind wander without being limited by rules.

Keep in mind the tips for channel name I listed above, but don't force them when brainstorming. After you're done with the creative process, you can refer to the tips, see if your names are following the guidelines, and remove or tweak the ones that don't.

Brainstorming like this will give you awesome YouTube channel name ideas you won't otherwise find if you obsess over using certain templates or rules.

TIP: One popular YouTube channel name format is made out of the topic, a preposition and your name. For example, Yoga with Adrianne, Pearl's Crafts, BeautyWithTrinity. These are best if you want to become a popular YouTuber under your own name while also having the niche highlighted in the channel name.

PowerThesaurus

If you know what vibe your YouTube channel name is trying to impose but you can't find the perfect word to describe it, a thesaurus is a gold mine. Play around with different words that best describe your brand and you'll find out tons of new ideas you can use for your channel name. I know this is not exactly a YouTube name generator, but it's highly useful for coming up with the best channel name.

Spinxo

This YouTube name generator lets you add a number of queries that best describe your channel like the topic, important keywords, or additional words. It will give you tons of YouTube channel names ideas and you can spin the results until you find something that pops up.

Username Generator

If you have a word you want to use in the name, head down to this app and add your keyword there. The app will generate a huge list of usernames ideas containing that word.

YouTube Name Generator

A simple, yet powerful app is this one. It generates random YouTube channel names based on words that are popular or catchy. Even though you don't find the perfect name for your channel, it can give you a lot of eye-catching words you can use.

Quizzes

I know that quizzes are mostly not a source of reliable information. But they can be fun. And when you're trying to come up with the best name for your YouTube channel you need to open yourself to possibilities and fun. Maybe quizzes won't give you an exact answer, but you may find yourself inspired by them.

The best quiz I found is this one:

Quizony

It only has four possible results, but it may give you some inspiration push. And, oddly enough, the result describes me pretty well.

Did you find the best possible names for your channel? Now you have to see if your YouTube channel name is taken or not.

There are more YouTube channel name availability checkers out there. One of them is Namechk.

Besides seeing the availability for YouTube, you can also check the availability for the name on other social media platforms.

The most social platforms your name is available on, the better. It's not a rule to have the same username across all platforms, but it is best when there's a consistency everywhere. It makes it easier for people to find you anywhere.

Once you decided on the best name for your YouTube channel, it's time to create your YouTube account. If you don't know how to do it, we have a post about starting a YouTube channel which goes over the steps you need to follow so you set up your profile.

To create a new YouTube channel, head over to your account settings (If you already have an account. If not, refer to the post I mentioned above). You'll see the option “See all my channels or create a new channel”.

Once you click it, you'll be taken to a page from where you can choose to create a new channel.

After you click on creating a new channel, you'll be asked to add your name. Enter the YouTube channel name you chose and hit “Create”.

Tada! You've just picked up your YouTube channel name.

If you need help and tips to further customize your YouTube channel go over our guide.

Once your channel is created, head over to some social media platforms and also register your name there. Even if you won't be using social media to promote your channel in the beginning, it's best to secure your name on social so nobody grabs it in the meantime.

I hope that that now you know how to chose the best name for your YouTube channel and are ready to get to brainstorming.

The most important tips to keep in mind when trying to pick out the name:

• The perfect YouTube channel name is readable and easy to remember
• It's ok to use your own name as long as you want to brand yourself
• In order to find the best name, you need to set the rules aside and be creative
• Brainstorm all the words that might describe the core of your YouTube channel
• Don't be afraid to randomly experiment with different words combinations until you find something that fires your enthusiasm

Once you decide on the name and set up your YouTube channel, it's time to upload your first video and learn more about the basics of becoming a successful YouTuber.