How to Name a Blog (107 Examples for Inspiration)

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There’s no such thing as a perfect blog name.

A niche-specific name is bad when expanding to other areas.

An arbitrary name isn’t optimal either when targeting a specific topic.

But there’s a whole bunch of things you can do to maximize your blog’s name for success.

Let me show you exactly how to name your blog as well as possible.

Does Blog Name Matter?

The blog’s name matters—but not as much as you’d imagine.

Blog posts in search results

When Google ranks websites, it takes into account hundreds of different things.

Your blog’s name is just a very small part of it.

You can see a ton of pages on top of Google search results that originate from sites that don’t “belong” there.

Things like topical authority, content quality, and such are in much more crucial roles than the name of the blog.

But you cannot change the name of your blog later. Thus, it might be a worthy investment to spend at least 30-60 minutes coming up with a good one.

Problems with Blog Naming

There’s no such thing as a “perfect blog name”.

If a “niche site” has an arbitrary domain name, it might not ring any bells.

If a big review site has a niche-specific name, that’s confusing.

Crypto blog called tennisjack.com

So don’t go for perfection here. Instead, let’s find out a good name for your specific use case.

Unclear Niche

The hardest problem when choosing a blog name is knowing your goals.

Many blogs start with one niche but later on, expand to different areas.

But this is impossible to predict beforehand.

For example, I started my first blog about programming tutorials. The site is called codingem.com.

codingem.com website

But these days, I write product reviews.

A blog post example on a tech review site

It felt a bit silly to start writing product reviews on a domain whose name suggests it’s a coding site.

I would’ve definitely used some other name, had I known this would become more of a generic tech site rather than a coding blog…

But surely, who could’ve predicted that 3 years ago?

That’s exactly why you might want to leave some wiggly room to your blog’s name for expansion.

Of course, if you’re 100% sure you’ll only focus on a particular topic, then choose a name that relates to that topic.

Most Domains Are Taken

Another issue with blog naming is that the best domain names are usually taken.

A bunch of unavailable domains with only some left

Consider the name of this blog you’re reading right now.

At least I’m not 100% happy with it. It’s hard to remember and relatively long.

bloggersgoto.com homepage

But when I first started this site, I never thought I’d write more than 10 posts to it. It was just a side project.

Also, the site names that I “should have called it” were taken.

So be careful. Your small hobby site with a silly name might turn into a full-on business.

How to Choose a Blog Name (Step by Step)

Before I show you my blog naming process, let me give you a quick tip.

If you want to name your blog easily, just use a tool like DomainWheel.com.

Domain name generator

It can generate awesome domain names based on your input and check whether those are available.

Anyway, let’s take a step-by-step look at naming your blog.

#1 Consider Your Niche

What’s your blog’s niche? If you haven’t chosen one yet, make sure to read this guide.

One idea is to include your niche or something relevant to it in the blog’s name.

For example, one of my students, Leo started a tennis website in Finland. He chose tennisleo.fi as the name of the blog.

Also, adding some humor or wordplay to the name can be a nice addition. This is especially useful these days as most domain names are so generic and boring.

For example, something like tennisdennis.com would be funny. 😀

#2 Brainstorm Name Ideas

Don’t overthink your blog’s name.

If you aren’t planning to launch your blog right now, just let the name evolve.

Keep up a notepad where you can easily store name ideas that pop up while walking, training, shopping, or whatever.

I’ve at least found it really hard to come up with blog names if I have to force it.

To find inspiration, just look at blogs in your niche or even outside your niche by using Google.

blogs in search results

I’ve listed some good blog names at the end of this post for inspiration in different niches.

By the way, don’t forget to consider your own name.

Especially if you have a short name or nickname, that might be a good addition to your domain name.

Consider tomsguide.com—one of the most popular review/affiliate blogs on the internet.

Tom's Guide

#3 Bake the Perfect Name

A good blog name is something that’s:

  1. Memorable. An ideal blog name is something that the readers can remember easily.
  2. Easy to spell. If your blog has a good name, it’s easy to spell and pronounce.
  3. Relevant to content. Ideally, the domain name is closely related to your content. But don’t be too strict about this.
  4. Scalable. Don’t limit your blog’s growth to its domain name. Give it a name that’s something you could work with when covering other niches.

Cannot come up with anything?

Use your first name and last name in your blog’s name. That’s unique and doesn’t tie you into a particular niche.

This might not be the most memorable name, but it ticks the other boxes fine. 🙂

#4 Check Availability

Remember that most blog names are already reserved.

Make sure to check that your domain ideas aren’t already taken.

Domain names that are already taken

While you’ll surely find some random domain extension, I’d go with .com or .net.

Those are well-recognized internationally.

But if you fell in love with some domain that does not end with .com or .net, don’t worry!

It’s fine to use other extensions. This won’t impact your traffic to a level you’d notice.

There are tons of blogs and websites ranking on top of Google with less common domain names.

#5 Avoid These Mistakes

1) Too Long Domain Name

When it comes to naming your domain, one of the key mistakes is to choose a too-long domain name.

I recommend using a word or two. At most 15 characters, but preferably way less than that.

Nobody will remember a website like jacksgreattennisrackets.com. That’s even hard to read, huh?

2) Confusing Name

Don’t choose a domain name that’s easy to misspell or misread either.

For example, if blogger.com is taken, do not choose bloggger.com.

Also, with some word combinations people just misread it for no good reason.

Take your name and look at it with a fresh pair of eyes.

Is it clear? Does it read nicely?

You can even show it to someone else to give quick feedback.

3) Numbers or Hyphens

Leave out hyphens and numbers from your blog’s name.

Those can confuse people trying to remember your domain.

Don’t get me wrong with these, though.

There are tons of great blogs with numbers and hyphens in their name. As I said before, choosing the “right blog name” is not that big of a deal.

But because this is a one-and-done deal, it makes sense to come up with as good of a name as you can. You cannot come and tweak it later.

4) Trademark Issues

Ensure your domain name is not infringing trademarks.

Even if a domain name is available, it might be subject to trademark infringement.

Those highlighted domains are available—but also questionable by using common sense.

Here are some tips to make sure you don’t land in legal trouble with your blog’s name:

  1. If you’re in the U.S. (or targeting a U.S. audience) use the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) online database, known as TESS, to search for existing trademarks.
  2. International Trademark Search: For global audiences, check individual national trademark databases. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) provides a Global Brand Database which can help.
  3. Consider both exact matches and similar terms. Names that are similar to existing trademarks can lead to conflicts.

Blog Names for Inspiration

Let me show you a bunch of blogs with great names. Notice that some of these names are short and others long.

These are just for your inspiration and can give you a great idea of what’s working out there.

Just remember, choose a memorable and short domain. But don’t worry about it too much. It’s not that big of a deal, honestly!

Here’s the list of blog names. I’ve added links to the blogs. 🙂

  1. Cup of Jo – Lifestyle
  2. Nerd Fitness – Fitness & Health
  3. Oh Joy! – Design & Lifestyle
  4. Goop – Wellness & Lifestyle
  5. The Minimalists – Minimalism
  6. Smitten Kitchen – Cooking & Recipes
  7. Nomadic Matt – Travel
  8. Brain Pickings – Literature & Thoughtful Content
  9. Zen Habits – Mindfulness & Personal Growth
  10. Kottke – General Interest/Varied Topics
  11. Simply Organized – Organization
  12. Man Repeller (now known as Repeller) – Fashion & Humor
  13. Problogger – Blogging Tips & Tricks
  14. Fashionista – Fashion News & Trends
  15. The Verge – Technology & Culture
  16. Seth’s Blog – Marketing & Leadership
  17. TechCrunch – Startup and Technology News
  18. Joy the Baker – Baking & Sweet Recipes
  19. Afford Anything – Finance & Investing
  20. The Blonde Abroad – Solo Female Travel
  21. Wait But Why – Long Form Posts on Various Topics
  22. Moz Blog – SEO & Online Marketing
  23. A Beautiful Mess – Crafts & Home Decor
  24. Pinch of Yum – Food & Recipe Blog
  25. Just One Cookbook – Japanese Cooking & Recipes
  26. The Creative Penn – Writing & Self-Publishing
  27. MindBodyGreen – Health & Wellness
  28. Rock My Style – UK Lifestyle & Parenting
  29. The Everygirl – Women’s Lifestyle, Career, & Fashion
  30. Strobist – Photography Lighting Techniques
  31. The Passive Voice – Writing & Publishing Industry
  32. A Cup of English – English Learning & Podcasts
  33. Stone Soup – Minimalist Home Cooking
  34. Messy Nessy Chic – Offbeat & Vintage Finds
  35. Liliputing – Mobile Tech News & Reviews
  36. Gizmodo – Technology & Science
  37. My Modern Met – Art & Culture
  38. Apartment Therapy – Home & Living
  39. Design*Sponge – Art & Home Decor
  40. Gates Notes – Bill Gates’ Personal Blog on Global Issues
  41. Yanko Design – Modern Industrial Design
  42. Inhabitat – Green Design & Technology
  43. Dooce – Personal & Lifestyle Blog
  44. The Daily Beast – News & Opinion
  45. The Selby – Photography of Creative People and Their Spaces
  46. PostSecret – Community Art Project (Anonymous Secrets)
  47. Tuts+ – Tutorials & Online Courses (Multiple Disciplines)
  48. Fstoppers – Photography & Videography
  49. Gala Darling – Personal Growth & Radical Self Love
  50. Orangette – Food & Personal Stories
  51. Desire to Inspire – Interior Design
  52. PopSugar – Pop Culture & Lifestyle
  53. Colossal – Art & Visual Culture
  54. AutoBlog – Cars & Automotive News
  55. TreeHugger – Sustainability & Green Living
  56. Song Exploder – Music & Song Breakdowns
  57. Jancis Robinson – Wines & Reviews
  58. Style Me Pretty – Weddings & Inspiration
  59. Hello Giggles – Lifestyle & Pop Culture
  60. Brooklyn Blonde – Fashion & Lifestyle
  61. Mashable – Technology & Digital Culture News
  62. Engadget – Technology & Electronics
  63. Abduzeedo – Design & Visual Inspiration
  64. Jalopnik – Cars & Automotive Culture
  65. The Awesomer – Gadgets, Games & Geeky Stuff
  66. Dangerous Minds – Pop Culture & Subversive News
  67. Love Taza – Family & New York Life
  68. Petapixel – Photography News & Tips
  69. The Mary Sue – Geek & Pop Culture for Women
  70. Lifehacker – Life Tips & Tricks
  71. Rands in Repose – Management & Leadership
  72. Serious Eats – Food Science & Recipes
  73. Whatever – John Scalzi’s Personal Blog
  74. Design You Trust – Design & Inspirations
  75. Elephant Journal – Wellness & Mindful Living
  76. Noupe – Web Design & Development
  77. David Lebovitz – Food & Paris Life
  78. Hyperallergic – Art & Culture
  79. Eater – Food News & Restaurant Reviews
  80. Scary Mommy – Parenting & Motherhood
  81. Trendland – Design & Trendspotting
  82. Pitchfork – Music News & Reviews
  83. My Wife Quit Her Job – Entrepreneurship & Online Business
  84. Aeon – Thought-provoking Essays & Ideas
  85. The Londoner – Lifestyle & Travel
  86. Daily Writing Tips – Writing Advice & Grammar
  87. Bored Panda – Art & Interesting Stories
  88. Book Riot – Books & Reading Culture
  89. UX Design – User Experience & Web Design
  90. Camille Styles – Lifestyle & Design
  91. The Financial Diet – Personal Finance for Young Adults
  92. Gothamist – New York News & Culture
  93. How-To Geek – Tech How-Tos & Tutorials
  94. iJustine – Tech & Lifestyle by Justine Ezarik
  95. Jane Friedman – Writing & Publishing Industry
  96. Lost At E Minor – Art, Design & Music
  97. Maria Popova – Personal Reflections & Ideas
  98. Naked Security – Cybersecurity News & Advice
  99. One Kindesign – Interior Design & Architecture
  100. Pick The Brain – Self-Improvement & Productivity
  101. Quicksprout – Business & Marketing Advice
  102. Recruiting Daily – HR & Recruitment
  103. Seth Godin – Marketing & Leadership Thoughts
  104. The Oatmeal – Comics & Humor
  105. The Write Life – Writing Tips & Freelancing
  106. Woorkup – Digital Marketing & Productivity
  107. Yoga Journal – Yoga Practices & Wellness

Wrap Up

Choosing a name for your blog is tricky.

It’s not that big of a deal. But then again, it’s impossible to change later on.

Choose a name that’s easy to spell and remember. Don’t tie it to a particular niche unless you have to.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to read my post about choosing the right niche for your blog.