What's in a name? ...Quite a lot, actually.
January 28, 2016 3:15 PM Subscribe
I am creating a YouTube channel and a couple of associated social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr). I figured I'd have come up with a name by the time I finished editing my first video. However, that's not the case, and I find myself basically ready to launch but with a lot of uncertainties about name.
My channel, at its core, is meant to be about giving (not just donating to not-for-profits, although I'll be touching on that too), about community, and about self-improvement, and I'm fine with doing some vlog-type videos if I develop a viewer base that is interested in those. My intended audience is people like me: 20s, maybe some older teens or 30s, probably childless and likely financially struggling and/or in school, with a generalized idea that the world should be kinder and that there must be something individuals can do to make it better.
I've thrown around a bunch of ideas, including taking the gaming channel tack of naming it something random - but that doesn't seem to be a thing that's done outside the gamer section of YouTube, and besides, I like getting a gist of the channel from its name. Other names tend to sound either religious or a little too... I don't know, hippie? A little too "woo?" I'm neither religious nor spiritual, and my channel will be as woo-free as I can make it. I also do not want to use my name as the channel name.
The one name I came up with that I really liked was "UpLife," but that's the name of a studio in Portland, and I'm not sure how much of an impact (if any?) it would have on my visibility. Similarly, UpLife is already a thing on YouTube, but I could easily call mine "UpLifeVideos" or similar and create my account without an issue - the viewerbase of that existing account is low.
Please feel free to either suggest alternate names or to tell me that the name I have been tossing around is fine to use despite it's already having been taken by organizations with a small online presence. I don't really know how to social media; I just want to make videos people will enjoy and find helpful, get them to their audience, and engage with the community that forms.
My channel, at its core, is meant to be about giving (not just donating to not-for-profits, although I'll be touching on that too), about community, and about self-improvement, and I'm fine with doing some vlog-type videos if I develop a viewer base that is interested in those. My intended audience is people like me: 20s, maybe some older teens or 30s, probably childless and likely financially struggling and/or in school, with a generalized idea that the world should be kinder and that there must be something individuals can do to make it better.
I've thrown around a bunch of ideas, including taking the gaming channel tack of naming it something random - but that doesn't seem to be a thing that's done outside the gamer section of YouTube, and besides, I like getting a gist of the channel from its name. Other names tend to sound either religious or a little too... I don't know, hippie? A little too "woo?" I'm neither religious nor spiritual, and my channel will be as woo-free as I can make it. I also do not want to use my name as the channel name.
The one name I came up with that I really liked was "UpLife," but that's the name of a studio in Portland, and I'm not sure how much of an impact (if any?) it would have on my visibility. Similarly, UpLife is already a thing on YouTube, but I could easily call mine "UpLifeVideos" or similar and create my account without an issue - the viewerbase of that existing account is low.
Please feel free to either suggest alternate names or to tell me that the name I have been tossing around is fine to use despite it's already having been taken by organizations with a small online presence. I don't really know how to social media; I just want to make videos people will enjoy and find helpful, get them to their audience, and engage with the community that forms.
That being said, Google reveals a woman's health company of the same name.
posted by mr. digits at 4:35 PM on January 28, 2016
posted by mr. digits at 4:35 PM on January 28, 2016
I will suggest Fly as one possibility. There are inspirational songs that use flying as a positive metaphor and it is also slang for cool.
posted by Michele in California at 4:47 PM on January 28, 2016
posted by Michele in California at 4:47 PM on January 28, 2016
How about LivingUp? I like it a bit more than UpLife, although I didn't check it for YouTube conflicts. A quick Google search for it looks ok. Or I would consider "giving" in the title.
Something simple like On Giving, Giving Guide, Giving Back?
posted by areaperson at 5:08 PM on January 28, 2016
Something simple like On Giving, Giving Guide, Giving Back?
posted by areaperson at 5:08 PM on January 28, 2016
ForGiving (again maybe too religiousy for you)?
posted by Gratishades at 8:22 AM on January 29, 2016
posted by Gratishades at 8:22 AM on January 29, 2016
LiveUp -- it has some of the same elements but sounds like a little bit of a challenge to "live up" to their ideals or something.
I have generally found that things that are too upbeat without addressing the fact that doing right is typically an uphill battle tend to fall flat. I think a "we shall overcome" vibe tends to go over better than a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe.
posted by Michele in California at 1:34 PM on January 29, 2016
I have generally found that things that are too upbeat without addressing the fact that doing right is typically an uphill battle tend to fall flat. I think a "we shall overcome" vibe tends to go over better than a "Don't worry, be happy" vibe.
posted by Michele in California at 1:34 PM on January 29, 2016
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I went with "bloom" looking at synonyms of youth, and it could also roll on the kinder world angle.
posted by mr. digits at 4:34 PM on January 28, 2016