How to Choose an App Name (That's Available and Ranks)

Your app name is the single most repeated word in your entire launch. It's the search result, the home-screen label, the thing people tell their friends, and the first ranking signal the stores read. Get it right and it quietly compounds every marketing effort you make. Get it wrong — too generic, already taken, or impossible to spell — and you'll fight that friction forever.

So how do you choose an app name? The short version: pick a name that is available (in the stores, as a domain, and legally), memorable (short, easy to say and spell), and discoverable (it either contains or sits next to a keyword people search). This guide walks each of those tests, shows you how to check if a name is taken, and covers the character limits that quietly shape the decision.

What makes a good app name?

Before you brainstorm, know what you're aiming for. A strong app name usually hits most of these:

Short. One or two words is ideal. Both stores cap the name at 30 characters, and shorter names are easier to remember and say out loud.
Easy to spell and pronounce. If people have to guess the spelling, they can't find you in search. Say the name to someone and ask them to type it — if they get it wrong, reconsider.
Distinctive. It should stand apart from competitors, not blend into a sea of similar names. Distinctiveness also makes it far easier to trademark.
Available. Free in both app stores, as a domain, and as social handles, with no obvious trademark conflict.
Discoverable. It hints at what the app does, or pairs cleanly with a keyword so it earns some search relevance.
Room to grow. Don't box yourself in. A name tied too tightly to one narrow feature gets awkward when the app expands.

Three naming approaches (with examples of the pattern)

There's no single right style. Most names fall into one of these patterns:

Approach	What it is	Trade-off
Invented / brandable	A made-up word (think coined tech-brand names)	Highly trademarkable and unique, but needs marketing to build meaning
Descriptive	Says what it does ("Budget Tracker")	Instantly clear and keyword-rich, but generic and hard to own
Brand + keyword	A brand word next to a descriptor	Best of both — a memorable name plus search relevance

For most indie and no-code makers, the brand + keyword pattern is the sweet spot. It gives you something ownable and something searchable at the same time — for example, a coined name followed by a short descriptor like "Notes" or "Fitness."

App store name character limits

The limits are tighter than people expect, and they drive real decisions:

Field	Limit
App Store app name	30 characters
App Store subtitle	30 characters
Google Play app title	30 characters
Google Play short description	80 characters

Thirty characters disappears fast. That's why you don't try to cram every keyword into the name — you use the subtitle (Apple) and short description (Google) to carry the descriptive keywords. We cover exactly what goes where in app subtitle vs. promotional text.

Should you put keywords in your app name?

A little helps; a lot hurts. Both stores weight the app name heavily for search ranking, so a single relevant keyword next to your brand name genuinely aids discoverability. But keyword stuffing — "Budget Planner Money Tracker Expense Manager Finance" — looks like spam, wastes your 30 characters, and can get flagged in Apple review.

The winning move is restraint: brand name + one descriptive keyword, then let your subtitle and the App Store keywords field do the rest of the ranking work. This keyword-placement strategy is a core part of app store optimization; for the full picture, start with our pillar on ASO for indie developers.

How to check if your app name is taken

Never fall in love with a name before you've run these checks. Do them in this order — cheapest and fastest first:

Search both app stores. Look up the exact name in the App Store and Google Play. On the App Store, app names must be unique — if another live app already claims it, you can't use it, period. Google Play is more permissive but a duplicate still hurts discoverability and looks unprofessional.
Check the domain. See if the .com (or a strong alternative) is available. You'll want a website for your app anyway — a privacy policy has to live somewhere.
Check social handles. Look on the platforms you'll actually use. Consistent handles make your app easier to find and market.
Do a trademark search. Search your country's trademark database (in the US, the USPTO's TESS system). A name that's technically free in the stores can still infringe an existing trademark and get you removed later. When in doubt, consult a professional.

If a name fails one of the early checks, drop it and move on — there's no point checking trademarks on a name another app already owns in the store.

A repeatable process to land on your name

If you're staring at a blank page, run this loop:

Brainstorm 20+ candidates across the three approaches above. Quantity first — don't filter yet. Mix invented words, descriptors, and brand+keyword combos.
Cut to a shortlist of 5 by the "easy to say and spell" test. Read each aloud.
Run availability checks on the shortlist (stores, domain, handles, trademark). Most candidates die here — that's the process working.
Pressure-test the survivors. Does it hint at what the app does? Will it still fit in a year? Does it look good as a home-screen label under the icon?
Pick one and commit. Reserve the name in App Store Connect, grab the domain and handles, and stop second-guessing.

Common naming mistakes

Copying a market leader's style — you'll look derivative and risk a trademark fight.
Using generic dictionary words alone — impossible to own or rank for.
Hard-to-spell "creative" spellings — cute in a logo, invisible in search.
Boxing yourself into one feature — the name ages badly as the app grows.
Skipping the trademark check — the most expensive mistake, and the easiest to avoid.

After you've named it

The name is the anchor, but it's one field among many in your store listing. Once it's locked, you'll write the subtitle, description, and keyword field around it — and your App Store screenshots should carry the same name and voice so the whole listing feels like one product. Adalo Studio's store-listing generator can help you draft the name, subtitle, keywords, and descriptions together, so they reinforce each other instead of competing for the same 30 characters, and its pricing page shows what's free versus a one-time unlock.

Name chosen, listing drafted — the next step is writing the description that turns a search result into a download. That's covered in how to write an app store description.

Frequently asked questions

What is the app store character limit for an app name?

The Apple App Store allows up to 30 characters for your app name, and Google Play also allows up to 30 characters for the app title. Both are tight, so choose a short brand name and put keywords in the subtitle or short description rather than stuffing them into the name.

How do I check if my app name is already taken?

Search the exact name in the App Store and Google Play, then check domain and social handle availability and do a trademark search. On the App Store, app names must be unique, so a name already claimed by another app can't be reused even if it's free everywhere else.

Should I put keywords in my app name?

A little can help ranking, but don't stuff the name. With only 30 characters, a clean brand name plus one descriptive keyword usually beats a keyword-crammed title, and Apple can reject names that look like spam. Put the rest of your keywords in the subtitle and keyword field instead.

Tools mentioned in this guide: App Store Screenshot Generator, App Privacy Policy Generator.