How To Pick The Perfect App Name

Give a Comprehensive Thought About the App

The foremost thing that you should be doing is to look at the app from the user perspective and, from the perspective of the growth of the app in the future. It can even happen that after some time you may need to change the name of the app depending on the app growth. The majority of the time, an MVP or Minimum Viable Product is first released by the app development company . This way, based on the functionality, the possible features can be developed and you need to check how the product will get developed in the future based on that. Coming up with such an application can help you reach and satisfy your primary target audience and thereby streamline your marketing strategy for the long future.

Brainstorm App Name Ideas

You can start by sitting with a pen and paper. You should think about the app from various angles. You need to think about its purpose, its target audience, and its use to the users.

Now whatever comes to your mind in this context should be written down on the paper. This way you will have few words ready to be used as your app name. Keep in mind that the name should have a connection with what the app is and what it does.

Let’s look at the example of Uber . In December 2009, Paris experienced one of the worst snowstorms. During that time common man faced the biggest issue of finding a cab. It was at that time Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick brainstormed and came up with the idea of developing a company called UberCab . Here, the word ”Uber” comes from the German word which means “above all the rest”. Later they dropped the word cab from its name and today Uber is a well-known brand around the world.

Come Up With Multiple Names

You have come up with a good name, it is nice! However, don’t stop there. You should go ahead and come up with at least five names! Coming up with a primary app name list is very important. There are chances that the app name you have decided may be used by someone else. Now it can be for something which may be quite related to your app category. It is important for you to choose a name that is original and the target audience feels to be unique too.

Again, when you have multiple names ready you will have ample options to present to your family and friends and use this opportunity to get their unbiased review on the same.

Moreover, there is another benefit of coming up with multiple app names. You will be able to check the app store for name availability and see if your name has been already taken up by another app or not. Even if you don’t find your selected name on the app store, still it is possible that the name is used up in some other format. The name can be representing a company that is not an online or an offline product. Again, it can be the name of an Instagram or Twitter handler of someone! So, you may not be in the mood of being accused of copying someone, right?

One of the best ways to get yourself out from this situation is to make use of mobile app name generators and get as many names as you want. After that, you can choose the one from that without much stress.

Go With the Rules

When you are choosing a name for the app you plan to build for Android and iOS , you are supposed to follow some naming rules. When you are looking for a name for the iTunes store, there are two things to take note of:

The characters in the name of the mobile app should be up to 30 characters .

The rule of character limit first came up in 2016 and this has already affected the ones which have longer names. The reason Apple came to such a decision was that such longer character names have no benefit from the user’s perspective as it was never completely displayed.

Things are not much different in the case of Android apps over the Google Play store. For mobile app names, developers only use to get up to 30 characters. This way the name remains small and it will only focus on the main feature of the app. Again, from the ASO –App Store Optimization perspective such added characters or words work as the primary keyword. This is highly recommended and encouraged in cases where you are developing the mobile app for the brand.

Something that you should always do is to stay updated with the latest rules coming up on iTunes Store and Google Play.

Be Original

When you are about to name the app, the first thing you will think about is to connect the name with other apps popular in the market. This can be something like adding a prefix like Insta or Facebook to the name for your social media app. In many cases, you may gain popularity however, you can lose legitimacy in the process too. Just imagine that if the users are finding an app with Insta-something or Facebook-something for the 50th time then they will not go for it when they can already use the original one. So in short, keep it simple that you should keep the name original and don’t be a copycat.

Do Your Research

It is important that the name you have finalized for your app should not have appeared anywhere as another app name before. You should also try out some variations to be sure that your app name remains authentic and unique. This way you can save yourself from any legal issues too.

Visualize Your Brand

Many believe that having the best names will help you have great brands. However, you need to know that the brand is not the name; rather it is a comprehensive idea. A good brand name does not signify it develops great products and vice versa. Again, you need to ensure that the app name and the brand should be connected, or else it will be tough for the audience to find a connection. For the same reason, you should understand what you aim to achieve and how you want people to look at your brand.

Keep in mind that the app you are having is not just an app; it is your business and so look for opportunities accordingly. You need to plan for the future in such a way that people will instantly get an image for your brand in their head just by hearing the brand name itself.

Learn From Others

See it is always recommended that you come up with a unique app name but then there is nothing wrong in taking inspiration from your competitors. This can be especially important in case you are entering a market with strong competition. You can check the apps that are similar to yours and see what names such apps have and whatnot.

Take Your Time

You should never make any kind of hasty decisions when choosing the app name as it is very important. Even if you end up finding an app title that is attractive and just right for you, you should make sure that you are following all the recommendations. You can ask for inputs from your friends and family and even leave it for some time aside to get your thoughts cleared.

Keep App Name as Simple as Possible

Chances are more that people will move on if they find your app name too hard to pronounce or something more of a tongue twister. When you are working on keeping the app name simple, you should also work towards keeping it shorter. One of the effective ways to do so is by limiting the syllables to 2-3. Some of such examples can be WhatsApp, Pandora, Candy Crush, Twitter, etc. It should be easy for your tongue and come out of your mouth just like that! You can try it first on your family and friends. Tell them to spell out the word and if they can do with ease, you can go ahead.

Optimize The Name for Social Media and App Store Searches

When you are naming your app, this is definitely one of the important factors to consider. You should make it a point to include the keyword which you want your app to rank for. You also need to make sure that you are not stuffing keywords. The keyword should fit in the title and description in a natural way. This way you will be able to make sure that your app is ranking well on the app store. You also need to confirm that the app name is available as social media accounts and the domain name. For proper keyword research, you can make use of tools like Google Keyword Planner.

Look for Compound Word Opportunities

It can be a daunting task to come up with a single word name for your app. This issue can be resolved by coming up with compound words. Instead of looking for simple words, you can rather add in the primary functionality of the app in the name. You can then have it combined with something that will have meaning to you and your application.

Localize Your App Name

You will be able to gain some more leverage by using targeted keywords and metadata for different languages and countries in your app. Mostly, people have the tendency to search for a said app within their local language. Again, users can change the App Store settings to their preferred language and so localization should be given priority by the Android and iOS developers.

Name With an Emotional Connection

How about naming an app that is emotionally connected with customers? This will give more of a competitive edge in the market. One of the best examples you can have in this area is the app named as MyFitnessPal. The app gives you a hint that it is more than just a fitness tracking app, rather is your friend.