Every app you can name ― Spotify, Duolingo, Wise — has a name that’s so easy to remember, it disguises the difficulty of naming an app. These app names roll off the tongue, but a new app name doesn’t roll off the brain! It takes hard work, and an understanding of what a good app name really is.

The average American now spends 4.5 hours every day using their smartphone so it’s no wonder the mobile app industry is booming. 250 million apps are downloaded every day, and the industry is projected to be worth $756 billion by 2027.

If you want your app to make a dent in these figures, you need a powerful name. Let’s find out how to name an app.

The Importance of a Strong App Name

Naming your app shouldn’t be an afterthought. Even though development, testing and optimizing your app might be a priority, without a great app name you’re likely to flounder at the bottom of the app store.

A strong app name is vital in promoting discoverability, and memorability and enticing your customers towards that all-important tap. Your app’s name, alongside its icon or logo, is the first thing a customer will see in Google Play or Apple’s App Store. Your app name needs to tell your customers how your app solves a particular problem they have, and simultaneously create an emotional reaction that draws them in. It’s easier than ever to use a no code app builder to build an app, but no matter how great your app is, a great name is essential to get sustomers talking.

Here’s everything a great app name can do:

• Help customers find your app.
• Ensure they remember it when switching devices.
• Make you stand out from competitors in the hustle and bustle of the app store.
• Integrate your app into customer lifestyles.
• Maximize your downloads.

In the meantime, a bad app name will confuse your customers and see your app buried under eye-catching competitors.

Convinced? Okay, let’s dive into these app naming guidelines and find out how to name an app.

How to Name an App

According to Apple, over 1300 apps are released every day so you need to stand out. These app naming guidelines will see you right.

1. Present your core product

Your app name is the first thing your customer will see. To maximize the impact of your app name, it should give customers an understanding of your product. Ask yourself: what is the purpose of your app, and what problem is it solving for customers? How can your name suggest this problem and solution in a word or two?

2. Follow app naming trends

Think of your name as a shortcut: a shortcut to your product’s purpose and its power. By understanding the contemporary naming trends, you give your customers another shortcut: they’ll see your app fitting into the bigger picture, and understand your purpose, all thanks to a couple of letters tacked onto the end of your name.

For example, Spotify, Wealthify and Trendify use the -ify suffix to appear approachable and easy to use: all of these apps provide a platform for managing something, whether it’s music, marketing or wealth. Meanwhile, helpful tools such as Grammarly and Brainly are popularizing the -ly suffix.

What’s going to be the next naming trend? Vinted, a vintage clothes sales platform, is making -ed look pretty good right now. By watching current and emerging naming trends, you can catch a wave that tells your customers who you are. 

3. Keep it short and sweet

On both Google Play and Apple’s App Store, the maximum length for an app name is 30 characters. That gives you three or four words to play with, but a quick look at the most downloaded apps shows that less is more in app naming.

A shorter name is easier to remember, quicker to type and search and better passed from mouth to mouth. We recommend a maximum of 12 or 13 characters, in line with the recommendations of premium domain names.

4. Aim for app store searchability

Almost two-thirds of apps are found through the app store search, as opposed to following links from email marketing or websites. That means app store searchability is key to users finding and using your app.

App store optimization or ASO is the SEO of the app store. A name that includes relevant keywords about your product can boost your rankings, make you more discoverable by customers and eliminate any doubt about what you do.

5. Have a matching domain

A domain name is an essential partner for every app. It gives you a platform to showcase your app online, enables more users to find you through SEO and can give your users more options about the devices they choose to use. When naming your app, you can’t ignore the need for a domain name to house your website.

A matching domain with a strong TLD (top-level domain) gives your app credibility among your customers. Make sure your app name gives you matching domain options: search our Premium Domain Marketplace today to see what’s on offer.

6. Evoke customer emotions

If your app is a quirky game, then a fun and playful name gives customers the first experience of what your app provides. If your app is about health and beauty, your name should invoke care, luxury or indulgence. If you’re launching a fintech app then maybe security and reliability should be at the centre of your name and your customers should feel safe when they click it.

Whatever your app is about, your name should create an immediate emotional reaction in your customers. This emotional connection builds your app into their lifestyle: when they’re down, they’ll reach for your fun game; when they’re seeking a moment of self-care, they will remember the feeling of luxury that your app name creates.

7. Be unique

Lastly, your app name needs to be yours alone: don’t risk customer confusion, a diluted brand or even a legal challenge by sharing your name with another business.

With over 5 million apps across Google Play and the App Store, a unique name might be hard to come by. But by using naming tricks such as blending two words together or modifying spellings and endings, you can create a powerful, memorable and brand-new app name to represent your app.

App Name Styles

With our app naming guidelines under your belt and an awareness of the common app naming mistakes, you can’t go wrong. But staring at the blank page can be intimidating, so here are some of my favorite app names and styles to get you started.

• Informative: Health Tracker, Workday
• Playful: Duolingo, Roblox
• Blends: Splitwise, Snapchat, Instragram
• Trends: Spotify, Wealthify,
• Made up: Strava, Shazam, Waze, Depop
• Transmutations: Vinted, Xfinity

Wrapping Up

A great name is essential for every business and app. The app stores are competitive and crowded, and you have to stand out to be seen. A strong name gives you a headstart.

It’s time to start brainstorming. Remember the app naming guidelines and you’ll have a powerful app name in no time, and if you want a little helping hand from an expert-trained AI, then check out Atom’s Business Naming Software to get the ball rolling.