It’s time for another article in my new Blogger Series.
In case you missed the memo, I now include a blog post on Thursdays, discussing topics around blogging to help people who are considering starting a blog as well as tips for getting the most from your existing blog.
Things To Consider When Naming Your Blog
The purpose of your blog can play a big part in naming your blog. Use your purpose as a way to come up with a name.
There was a blog called Dog Tales all about loving life with dogs. It was a simple, playful and pretty clear on what the blog may be about.
What’s The Tone Of Your Blog?
You want your name to connect with the tone of your blog. So, is that funny? Playful? Serious? Professional?
You don’t want to choose a playful name if your blog is very serious because you wanted it to be more professional and business-minded.
Maybe you want to use something unique and quirky, like The Juicy Orange. Even if your blog is not exactly about oranges or fruit in general. Often an unusual name can make a blog stand out.
Create A List Of Words
Spend some time brainstorming. Use the purpose/topic of your blog to create a list of words connected with it.
For writers, you could list words such as Wordsmith, author, writer, penman, writing, writerlife, writerly, pen, ink, leaky pen, blank page, writer’s block, and word ninja…
Grab your thesaurus and check out words that could be added to your list. The idea is to make a list of random words and phrases you associate with the purpose of your blog.
Once you have a nice long list, start highlighting the ones you really like. Consider joining them together. Or connecting them with other words that you associate with yourself.
Test Your Blog Name Out
Found a few you like? First Google them to make sure they haven’t already been used. If you are considering using the blog name as a domain name, check to make sure the domain is available.
Next, check them with friends and family and see what they think. Often even if they don’t like the name, they may suggest a slight amendment that you might like more.
But in the end, this is your blog, so even if someone doesn’t like it, as long as YOU are happy with it, that’s all that matters.
Be Happy With The Name Before Claiming
If you use a FREE hosting option, choosing the wrong name is not the end of the world.
However, if you are considering buying your domain name, then you really want to be happy with the name.
Use Your Own Name
If you are a writer, it is great to use your name/pen name as this increases the branding for yourself.
Again, with FREE hosting, you can start with a blog name that’s different. I did. This blog was originally named The Eternal Scribbler. I chose it to go with the fact that I always felt like I was scribbling stories.
However, when I decided to make this WordPress blog my official writer’s website, I got myself a domain name and used my name because that worked for me.
Choose What Works For You
In the end, only you will know what works best. The main thing is to take your time, brainstorm ideas and be happy with what you choose before you claim it and consider your branding. ESPECIALLY if you are buying a domain name.
Here are how some other bloggers do it. (Do make sure to check out their blogs!)
These blogs show what you can do.
Pearl’s Pearls – This blog URL is actually the author’s name, but her blog has been named Pearl’s Pearls, which works really well.
A Crack In The Pavement – This author chose to name his blog something quirky and different and then explained his reasoning in the about page. He has also kept the branding up by using the same name on his Twitter account.
YariGarciaWrites – This author used her name but includes the add-on “writes” to make it clear she is a writer. This works really well.
Roundabout Forty – Again, this author’s website is in her own name but she has named the website/blog “Roundabout Forty”. This is a good way to have a name for your blog that’s different but using your name as your URL.
The Naptime Author – This author chose a unique name that cleverly connected with being a writer and a mum.
Lorraine Ambers – This author chose to use her name for her website and incorporated a blog into the site. Great for strong branding.
For those who have blogs, are you happy with your blog name?
Have you changed it at all?
Happy writing
Author Ari Meghlen Official Website 
I use my blog title (Afraid of the Dark) because it’s slightly evocative and actually part of a short poem I wrote. And somewhere in the first year I explained its appropriateness, personally, since I have lost the sight in one eye.
You might say Im down to one wish, lol.
But I liked the slight mysteriousness of it, as well, vision or no vision.
I like that blog title, I think it is striking and enough to draw someone in to check out the blog.
I am sorry to hear you lost sight in one eye. 😦
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One of the smartest things I ever did was taking my time. Not only did I research how to create a blog, I also researched what I would call it.
The name had to mean something to me. It didn’t matter if it was catchy or cleaver it had to have some sort of history. A friend of mine was the one who helped me decide. She brought up a title for a novel I was working on that we called – A Crack in the Pavement.
Imagine, she said, a tiny weed or flower poking its head out of that ugly old crack in the pavement. Think of all the hard work it took and the miracle it produced. That was all I need to hear.
I like that you explain your blog name on your blog. I think that’s great because so many readers love learning these little insights about bloggers. 🙂
I switched to my name once I realized how big my blog was getting and realized it could very well work as an author platform for me. It was originally Spilled Ink though, which is now the name of my soon-to-be Etsy shop and will be the name of something else I’m working on.
Love the named Spilled Ink 😊 but yes, I think using actual name works best for an author platform
It definitely does. It allows people to actually connect the dots, lol.
Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
Thanks for the reblog, Viv
You’re very welcome, Ari! Hugz on owl wings! @v@ ❤
Fun post on how to choose a blog name. I wish I’d read it six years ago! Not sure I’d choose differently, even though I probably should. My blog post is a hybrid of non-fiction and fiction pieces, so all types of writing. My blog includes stories about ordinary things in our ordinary lives. I’ve taught creative writing for years, first calling it Rough Writing, but because my last name is Wight, my students started calling my class Rough Wighting. Pretty clever, yes? So that’s my blog post name, but not sure a new reader would ‘get’ the cleverness. Plus, it anyone wants to find me and my books, my name isn’t front and center like yours is. I’ll contemplate making some change on that. Thanks so much for the insights!
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you like the post. I like your blog name, I think it works really well!
It’s one of those names that makes you want to click and find out more. You could always add a page on your site that explains the name of the blog. I know many readers love knowing how bloggers came up with their unusual blog names 🙂
When I first started looking at Author Websites I found there were two kinds – one that were the author’s name and the other, a book name or a series name or something connected to a book/series.
Since I write different genres I didn’t like the idea of having to either create new websites for anything I wrote that didn’t fit under a book/series/genre name that using my name would be best.
I do like that it does make my website easily searchable using my name. 🙂
This all makes sense. I do have an “About” tab that explains my blog name. https://roughwighting.net/about/ Thanks for making me feel as if it’s unique enough to invite readers to come visit. xo
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
Thanks for the reblog, Chris. 😊
Welcome, Ari 👍😃
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
Thanks so much for the reblog
Very useful post especially for new bloggers! Namewise I am happy but the content has shifted unexpectedly so I really have to review it.
Thanks Michael, I love the name of your blog, but yes when a topic shift occurs it can mean a change is due. Have you decided yet what you are doing with your blog? I do hope you keep blogging.
Thank you Ari!!! I have decided that I should restructure my blog so that my bookish podcast and my rpg activities/stories are separated but I am hardly pressed for time. Hopefully during summer when I usually take a break from podcasting it will happen.
Awesome. Glad to hear you will still be blogging. I will keep an eye out for the change 😊
Hi Ari,
Thanks for mentioning my poor, sad blog. It has once again become depressed and lonely from my lack of talking to it. I think it will enjoy the reblog of your post – it will smile knowing that someone knows it’s there even though it’s creator seems to have abandoned it. (I hasn’t meant to, I still just don’t seem to know what to say, or I think of something good to say when I’m busy with something else and by the time I’m once again sitting at my computer, I’ve either forgotten all about the great insight – or it no longer sounds interesting.)
Many hugs, and a heart-felt thank you from Pearl’s Pearls and . . .
what’s her name.
I was happy too – I love your blog’s title, it’s such a clever play on words.
I know it can be hard getting started again after a blog has been quiet for a while. The best advice I can give – just do it. Start with a simple, quick post.
Maybe introduce your readers to your protagonist – just a short post about her, who she is, what she looks like, how she got into solving mysteries (without giving away any plots 🙂 )
Discuss how you felt finishing your first novel.
Feel free to trawl my blog for topics. Just because someone else has covered a topic doesn’t mean they’ve said everything. We all have our own take on things. 🙂
You can do it! *HUGS*
Reblogged this on Pearl's Pearls and commented:
A fun post from Ari Meghlen – and my blog got mentioned too. 😃
Thanks for the reblog Pearl. Hey I love giving shout outs and I love the cleverness of your blog name 😊
Thank you! 😃It was supposed to represent pearls of wisdom, pithy thoughts and similar sorts of interesting things, of which there haven’t been as many as I’d envisioned. I wish I had the courage to write what I would sometimes like to. I talk myself out of many of the ideas I come up with in large part because I’m sure they’re either too boring or depressing. Not that I’m horribly controversial, I’m not, I’m just wimpy.
I do so admire all of the many people who do regular, dependable and interesting blogs and social media posts, like you do.
Many Hugs!
You should just write them. I am often surprised that some of my “less interesting” posts seemed to get a surge of interest and others I am very proud of get barely a passing nod lol
I would love to see more on your blog. You’re a published author with several books under your belt. You have all this wisdom, share it! 😀
Tell us how you stay motivated. Tell us how you write – linear, scene by scene, in one long rush for 6 days without sleeping? 😀
lol don’t forget the first 3 years of my blog were sporadic, full of random content, not well written or formatted.
Took a while for me to kick it into gear and having a calendar of all my blog posts (to do) and then scheduled in so I know what to write for which day REALLY helps.
Great tips. My blog name has been questioned which led me to create a page dedicated to the story. It has a meaning and a purpose but I often wonder if it intimidates other’s who read no further than the blog name. I am currently using the free version but will soon upgrade to a paid site. The anxiety of changing the name has been driving me crazy!! I still haven’t decided what I will do. You offer some great advice. Thanks. I began following your blog because of this series. 🙂
Thanks for the follow, glad you find this useful. If you are happy with the name, stick with it. Having that page to explain is great and I don’t think the name would intimidate anyone into not reading more.
Ok good. Revenge is such an intimidating adjective.
I think it can be so striking, it becomes intriguing.
Nice. Thank you.
Reblogged this on Matthews' Blog.
Thanks do much for the reblog. 😊
My pleasure.