Something I know a lot of people (including me!) agonize over when starting their blog is what to name the darn thing!
I thought it would be helpful to cover my naming process with you so you can see that:
A) it was very hard for me too and
B) that there’s a method to choosing a perfect blog name (in hindsight) 🙂
How I Named My Blog
Before I started blogging, I agonized over my blog’s URL, www.whatmommydoes.com, for weeks before settling on that name! I came up with dozens of potential names and couldn’t make a decision one way or another.
It wasn’t until my best friend from high school, Saira, flew in to see me that I was really able to solidify my choice. (a trip she was already planning, thank goodness!)
Whereas I’m more analytical and a little scatterbrained, she is more creative and thinks things through. She made me sit down and write down a few things that helped me decide what my blog should be called.
First, she made me identify my primary reader. That is, the person I would be writing to in my mind every time I published a new post.
I was always clear on that – it was a new mom just like me who wanted to someone to help her navigate financial decisions and this thing called parenting.
But beyond that, I was lost. I knew who my ideal reader was, but I didn’t know how to translate that into a name!
So then Saira made me write down at least 25 different phrases and words that described my vision for the blog. I wish I still had that list to show you, but I think I ended up with a list like this: 
- things moms need
- what mommies like
- frugal tips for moms
- playdates ideas for stay-at-home-moms
- what moms can do to make money from home
- how to have fun with kids
- mommy diaries
- my mommy adventures
- and so on
We wrote it all out on a huge white board and it wasn’t until I took a step back and looked at the list that I was able to sum it all up into a single phrase – What Mommy Needs.
But I bet you’re gonna guess what happened next….
As it turns out, WhatMommyNeeds.com wasn’t available!
What in the world?! I did all that work for nothing!
What To Do If the Blog Name Isn’t Available!
So back to the drawing board we went. I think I tried out a dozen combinations of words when I finally settled on WhatMommyDoes.com and when I checked that it was also available on social media, I knew I had found a winner!
Because I recommend Bluehost for webhosting (click here for the entire Blog Startup Tutorial – it’s a step-by-step guide with screenshots), I also recommend you check the availability of your blog name there.
To check for your chosen URL availability on Bluehost, follow these steps:
- Click on the green Get Started Now button on the homepage,
- Choose the hosting plan of your choice (pro tip – you don’t want anything less than a 12 month plan because losing your URL after your month-to-month renewal didn’t process is NOT the way to build a money-making blog!) – you have to do this step before it will allow you to access the URL checker, but don’t worry, no payment is due at this point!
- Next you’ll be able to enter in the URL of your choice to check its availability. If it’s not available, then you can enter as many URL ideas as you want until you find one you like that is also available on social media!*
*Remember: Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are your major social media channels. Facebook is truly the only one that you’ll need an exact match for – I have @WhatMommyDoes on all four platforms, but I know many bloggers who have www.facebook.com/TheirBlogName for Facebook and then use their own name on the others. This would not be my preference, but it IS an option in a pinch!
What will you name your blog?
Comment below to let me know! I’m happy to help if you need a fresh pair of eyes to help you narrow down ideas or add a new perspective! 🙂 And if you are still completely stuck after reading this post, I have another helpful post for you! >> How to Choose a Blog Name You Won’t Regret
Start a Self Hosted Blog on Bluehost
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Click here to access to the web based version of the Blog Startup Guide.
But if you’re strapped for time? I’ll email my blog startup checklist to you!
If you would like to use this tutorial to start your blog but don’t have time right at the moment (or maybe you’re at work and can’t walk through this tutorial right now), you can get a free copy of this checklist emailed to you by signing up for my Start a Blog Newsletter. This is an especially good option if you’re viewing this page on mobile right now. Just Click here to subscribe using your name & email address, and once you confirm the email newsletter subscription, you will automatically receive a download link for the PDF checklist via email.
Christina says
Lena, I love your blog. I am in the very beginning stages of dreaming of having a blog like yours. The problem I am having when coming up with a name is that they are too wordy. I know I need to keep it simple. I am also completely overwhelmed with how to monetize, because as of right now I don’t think I have anything to sell. I know that I am ready to spend more time with my kids and less time devoted to my 9 to 5, but I need to start. I have a crazy scary dream of being a a full time blogger in18 to 24 months. Lastly I am a little worried about privacy, thinking about leaving pictures of myself and children off of my blog, what are your thoughts on that?
Lena Gott says
Hi Christina! I completely understand. Blogging is scary until you just immerse yourself in it. Getting started is half the battle, though! Once you have a base established I promise it gets easier. I rarely put pictures of myself or my kids on the blog, so that’s totally not an issue. Even when a brand requires photos for a sponsored post, I’ll do up close hand shots, etc or just tell them I am not comfortable with the requirements and they usually don’t care. It is a little tough to leave off a picture of yourself, as it helps establish your credibility as someone who is recommending things, but I have seen it done before. As far as monetization, you’ll figure that out as you go along. I wouldn’t worry about that in the early stages. You will be spending a while getting your blog to look good and learning how to publish in WordPress as you figure all that out.
DNN says
The smart thing to do is purchase the same blog name but in different extensions. For example:
WhatMommyDoes.net
WhatMommyDoes.info
WhatMommyDoes.us
WhatMommyDoes.co.jp
WhatMommyDoes.org
This way, you secure your brand name across the board. Then setup a domain alert when the original .com domain name expires so you can buy it right away.
Grammy says
Great advice!
Shaina says
Hi Lena! I stumbled across your blog on pinterest and Im not going to lie..Ive been trolling! I find your posts about blogging to not be so…cookie cutter..and I like it. I have been going back and forth about starting a blog for oh idk years! And I just haven’t taken the plunge. I really need help with a blog name. Primarily I would like to talk about different types of relationships and scenarios.. as well as give advice..talk about experiences..self improvement..step parenting etc BUT I would also like to occasionally talk about other things that maybe arent related to my main topics like maybe organizing or something …if that makes sense. Based on the little bit that Ive told you..do you have any ideas on a generic name? Tia!
Lena Gott says
Oh gosh – blog names are such a personal thing – I don’t know that I can recommend one! I have a helpful tip sheet to publish soon that will show you how to brainstorm the names, but in general, I would make a list of all the words that mean something to you, adjectives that have to do with your topics, and just a lot of words in general related to the topics you want to write about. Then start mixing and matching!
The sky’s the limit really! For instance, you could name your blog “Whimsicle Parenting” or even “Not Just Another Blog” lol Just depends on what feel you want and which topics you like the most. Let me know what you end up picking!!
Kelley says
I am launching my Christian blog, Faithful In All Things, today. I originally really wanted “Far Above Rubies” as there is a verse in the Bible that says a good woman’s worth is far above rubies, but that was taken. I was upset about it for a few days, but then I read tips like yours: identify who the reader is and what your topic(s) is(are.) I realized I wanted to blog about multiple topics (parenting, volunteering, budgeting, etc) from a Biblical perspective. I then combed through my favorite Bible verses, until I came to one that says, “Women must be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.” I thought that final part perfectly summed up what I wanted to write about: how to be faithful in all aspects of life as a Christian. I searched the url “www.faithfulinallthings.com,” but it looked as though it was a “parked site.” I was told I would spend a minimum of $40 to get it, possibly more. So I checked BlueHost for http://www.faithfulinallthingsblog.com and found it available! I was really bummed when “Far Above Rubies” didn’t work out, but now I’m so glad it didn’t because “Faithful In All Things” just fits perfectly. ?
Lena Gott says
Wonderful!! I’m so excited for you!!
Sherry says
Hi Lena! Thank you so very much for sharing your expertise with beginners such as myself. I’m a 67 year old Grandma of 2 cuties who lives in an very small isolated community in the prairies, 3 hours away from any large city or mainstream center. As a senior, I need to supplement my pension plus alleviate terminal boredom. As a retired interior decorator i would love to share my years of experience with fellow decorating enthusiasts. I was able to sign up with Bluehost by following your links however, when I tried to sign up with wordpress, the required welcome email would not come through with the username and temporary password. I called the tech department and the young man tried 3 times to resend to no avail. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can gain access to wordpress? Thank you again for listening to my ramblings. I really look forward to following your blog.
Lena Gott says
Hi Sherry – It sounds like their email is getting caught in your spam filters. If you can call back, have them give you the exact email address they’ll be sending it from and then add it to your allowed contacts. I think that’s called “whitelisting” your account. But also I wonder if they can give it to you on the phone so you can just pull up the bluehost login page and enter the info….but that doesn’t solve how you will get future updates from them. Another solution could be to give them another email address….maybe create a new gmail one only for your blog? That could be a good idea anyway! I hope this helps.
JenM says
Lena – I’ve been so stumped about a blog name and think I’ve finally found one and it’s available! BUT….. while it’s not taken on Facebook, twitter, and Pinterest it IS already used on Instagram. Plus while it’s used, the person has 0 posts – so frustrating! Just wondering if you think that’s a big enough reason to ditch the name and keep going in my quest to find a blog name? Any advice?
Lena Gott says
Hi Jen – no, I think you can find a workaround on Instagram. If it’s available on all others and there are no posts on Instagram, that leads me to believe this isn’t a real blogger and also no one you’d actually be confused with.