How to choose the right app name for better discoverability
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Learn how to choose the right app name for better discoverability. Practical guidelines, keyword strategy, and tips on how to help your app get found faster.
“The name is the hook that hangs the brand on the product ladder.”
Al Ries wrote this line to explain why naming sits at the front of every branding decision—not as decoration, but as structure. He wasn’t simplifying branding—he was pointing at its foundation. A name earns the first glance, the first judgment, and the first expectation.
Think about it. You can build a beautifully crafted app, polish onboarding, optimize screenshots—and still struggle to get noticed simply because your name isn’t doing any work for you.
Users rarely start by searching for names—unless the brand is already familiar. Most of the time they search for needs: project management, meditation, navigation maps. Your app only enters that world if your title gives algorithms enough context—and gives users a clear enough reason to tap.
And later—when your app grows, gets traction, hits charts—the name becomes a keyword in itself. That’s when people type “Notion,” “Calm,” or “Waze” instead of typing what the app does.
So the right name has to do two jobs at once: help you get discovered before you’re known—and stay recognizable once you are.
That’s why naming an app isn’t just a branding ritual. It works best when you follow a few practical app name guidelines—especially if you’re figuring out how to name an app in a way that actually improves discoverability.
Al Ries wrote this line to explain why naming sits at the front of every branding decision—not as decoration, but as structure. He wasn’t simplifying branding—he was pointing at its foundation. A name earns the first glance, the first judgment, and the first expectation.
Think about it. You can build a beautifully crafted app, polish onboarding, optimize screenshots—and still struggle to get noticed simply because your name isn’t doing any work for you.
Users rarely start by searching for names—unless the brand is already familiar. Most of the time they search for needs: project management, meditation, navigation maps. Your app only enters that world if your title gives algorithms enough context—and gives users a clear enough reason to tap.
And later—when your app grows, gets traction, hits charts—the name becomes a keyword in itself. That’s when people type “Notion,” “Calm,” or “Waze” instead of typing what the app does.
So the right name has to do two jobs at once: help you get discovered before you’re known—and stay recognizable once you are.
That’s why naming an app isn’t just a branding ritual. It works best when you follow a few practical app name guidelines—especially if you’re figuring out how to name an app in a way that actually improves discoverability.
Why your app name matters for discoverability
Discoverability isn’t magic—it’s mechanics.
Both the App Store and Play Market rely on the same idea: your metadata tells the algorithm who you are, and your name is the strongest signal in that entire system.
The title field carries the highest keyword weight on both platforms. If your name includes a relevant, searchable keyword, you don’t just look clearer to users—you give the algorithm a reason to index you for the searches that actually matter: fitness, coloring, habit tracker.
This is why naming an app is half creativity, half infrastructure. Your brand word gives identity—but the keyword next to it gives reach.
Examples that nail this balance:
These titles aren’t stuffed—they’re structured. The brand leads. The keywords clarify the job to be done. Algorithms understand them. Users understand them. And search visibility grows naturally.
And this becomes even clearer when you look at these apps inside the stores.
Both the App Store and Play Market rely on the same idea: your metadata tells the algorithm who you are, and your name is the strongest signal in that entire system.
The title field carries the highest keyword weight on both platforms. If your name includes a relevant, searchable keyword, you don’t just look clearer to users—you give the algorithm a reason to index you for the searches that actually matter: fitness, coloring, habit tracker.
This is why naming an app is half creativity, half infrastructure. Your brand word gives identity—but the keyword next to it gives reach.
Examples that nail this balance:
- Calm—Sleep, Meditate, Relax
- PlantNet—Plant Identification
These titles aren’t stuffed—they’re structured. The brand leads. The keywords clarify the job to be done. Algorithms understand them. Users understand them. And search visibility grows naturally.
And this becomes even clearer when you look at these apps inside the stores.
The title, icon, and overall presentation feel consistent.
Calm and PlantNet reinforce the same message across their name, subtitle, and first lines of the listing. What the title signals, the rest of the store page immediately supports. Everything works together and makes the value obvious at a glance.
When the name lands instantly, users move faster: they open the product page more willingly and reach the install button with fewer doubts. A clear, well-structured title strengthens the entire funnel and helps the store page convert without extra effort.
Calm and PlantNet reinforce the same message across their name, subtitle, and first lines of the listing. What the title signals, the rest of the store page immediately supports. Everything works together and makes the value obvious at a glance.
When the name lands instantly, users move faster: they open the product page more willingly and reach the install button with fewer doubts. A clear, well-structured title strengthens the entire funnel and helps the store page convert without extra effort.
Start with clarity, not cleverness
Clever names are fun—until you realize no one can spell them, search them, or guess what the app actually does.
When you’re naming an app, clarity wins the early game. At the start you don’t have brand equity, press mentions, or word-of-mouth. All you have is a title, an icon, and a split second to explain yourself to a scrolling user.
So before you chase something “creative,” answer three simple questions:
That’s all you need to generate app name ideas anchored in real user intent—not internal metaphors or team jokes.
Examples of clarity-first naming that works:
When you’re naming an app, clarity wins the early game. At the start you don’t have brand equity, press mentions, or word-of-mouth. All you have is a title, an icon, and a split second to explain yourself to a scrolling user.
So before you chase something “creative,” answer three simple questions:
- What does the app help users achieve—instantly and obviously?
- What’s the clearest word that describes that job?
- What’s the shortest way to connect that word with your brand?
That’s all you need to generate app name ideas anchored in real user intent—not internal metaphors or team jokes.
Examples of clarity-first naming that works:
- Star Walk 2 Plus: Sky Map View
- HomeCourt: Basketball Training
Their names do one thing exceptionally well: they remove uncertainty.
Star Walk 2 works because the title tells you exactly what space it plays in—stargazing, sky maps, constellation guides. You know what space it belongs to without even thinking about it.
HomeCourt does the same—it signals “basketball training” the second you read it. No guessing, no decoding, no “what is this?” moment.
And when users don’t have to interpret your name, they move faster, tap sooner, and land on your page with a clear expectation of what they’re about to get.
Star Walk 2 works because the title tells you exactly what space it plays in—stargazing, sky maps, constellation guides. You know what space it belongs to without even thinking about it.
HomeCourt does the same—it signals “basketball training” the second you read it. No guessing, no decoding, no “what is this?” moment.
And when users don’t have to interpret your name, they move faster, tap sooner, and land on your page with a clear expectation of what they’re about to get.
Keep your app title short and searchable
Both major stores give you 30 characters to work with—and that limit forces discipline. A long or overloaded name doesn’t just look messy, it gets cut off in search results and loses its impact. The tighter the title, the faster users can scan it in a crowded list and understand what space your app occupies.
Try to think of your title as a single-line value signal: brand first, one clear descriptor second. That structure isn’t about ASO tricks—it’s simply easier to read, easier to parse, and harder to misinterpret on a small screen.
Remember: a tight title doesn’t really have to be short. The strongest names usually use most of the available space—around 28–30 characters—while still reading naturally. The goal isn’t to fill every slot with a keyword, but to make the full line work as one clear, readable cue.
Why this structure works:
Concise naming doesn’t limit your brand. It makes your store page clearer, your message sharper, and your metadata easier to understand at a glance.
Your job here is structural: give the title one job and let the rest of your listing do its own.
Try to think of your title as a single-line value signal: brand first, one clear descriptor second. That structure isn’t about ASO tricks—it’s simply easier to read, easier to parse, and harder to misinterpret on a small screen.
Remember: a tight title doesn’t really have to be short. The strongest names usually use most of the available space—around 28–30 characters—while still reading naturally. The goal isn’t to fill every slot with a keyword, but to make the full line work as one clear, readable cue.
Why this structure works:
- It communicates function quickly during fast scrolling
- It reduces cognitive effort—no decoding, no guessing
- It gives your subtitle—or whichever field supports messaging on that store—room to expand the value instead of compensating for a confusing name
Concise naming doesn’t limit your brand. It makes your store page clearer, your message sharper, and your metadata easier to understand at a glance.
Your job here is structural: give the title one job and let the rest of your listing do its own.
Choose keywords users actually search for
A keyword in your app name helps only if people genuinely search for it. Yes, that sounds obvious, but teams often default to internal terminology—words that feel precise to the product team but never show up in what users actually search for.
Stores don’t infer meaning from context; they index exactly what people type.
The right keyword needs to check three boxes:
You can see the difference in search results across categories:
Stores don’t infer meaning from context; they index exactly what people type.
The right keyword needs to check three boxes:
- Search demand—users type it often enough for indexing to matter
- Relevance—it reflects your core use case, not just the broader category
- Clarity—people understand it instantly without interpreting context
You can see the difference in search results across categories:
- Language apps use “learn,” not “linguistics”—people describe goals, not disciplines
- Scanner apps grow with “PDF,” not “document capture”—users type the end result they want
- Fitness apps succeed with “workout,” not “training app”—the latter delivers a noticeably weaker set of search results
These may look basic, but that’s the point. Users search with common language, and algorithms index common language. A smart keyword doesn’t try to cover everything—it places your app in the exact intent cluster where your audience already is.
Pick one to three relevant keywords for the title, then broaden the rest of your coverage in the subtitle and description. The title anchors your positioning, while the other fields let you build out meaning without turning the name into a long, hard-to-read phrase.
Pick one to three relevant keywords for the title, then broaden the rest of your coverage in the subtitle and description. The title anchors your positioning, while the other fields let you build out meaning without turning the name into a long, hard-to-read phrase.
Avoid misleading or wasted terms
With only 30 characters in your title, every word has to earn its place. Generic fillers like free, best, top, app, #1, or broad category labels the store already understands (health, casual, fitness) don’t clarify what your product actually does. They take space that could support real relevance.
Both App Store and Google Play allow these words to be indexed, but they strongly discourage using them in the title. They don’t convey function, rely on cognitive shortcuts, and can lead users to expect something your app doesn’t deliver. That’s exactly the kind of naming that risks rejection—and even when approved, it rarely helps performance in a meaningful way.
Here’s the rule of thumb: the title isn’t the place for words the store can already infer. Put functional signals upfront, not generic labels.
If you still need these broader keywords for indexing, place them where they belong—into the App Store keywords field or into the Google Play description. The title and subtitle should stay focused on clarity for users, while the rest of the metadata can support the wider keyword net.
The words you choose shape not just how the algorithm reads your app, but how users read it too. Keywords like free, best, #1 are designed to spark quick reactions—and that’s exactly why they were banned. They boost taps for the wrong reasons and create expectations the product can’t justify. Stores want names to reflect what the app actually does, not how it wants to be perceived.
Your goal is clarity, not decoration. A focused title sets the right expectations—and keeps your metadata compliant.
Both App Store and Google Play allow these words to be indexed, but they strongly discourage using them in the title. They don’t convey function, rely on cognitive shortcuts, and can lead users to expect something your app doesn’t deliver. That’s exactly the kind of naming that risks rejection—and even when approved, it rarely helps performance in a meaningful way.
Here’s the rule of thumb: the title isn’t the place for words the store can already infer. Put functional signals upfront, not generic labels.
If you still need these broader keywords for indexing, place them where they belong—into the App Store keywords field or into the Google Play description. The title and subtitle should stay focused on clarity for users, while the rest of the metadata can support the wider keyword net.
The words you choose shape not just how the algorithm reads your app, but how users read it too. Keywords like free, best, #1 are designed to spark quick reactions—and that’s exactly why they were banned. They boost taps for the wrong reasons and create expectations the product can’t justify. Stores want names to reflect what the app actually does, not how it wants to be perceived.
Your goal is clarity, not decoration. A focused title sets the right expectations—and keeps your metadata compliant.
Localize your name for every market you care about
Here’s the part a lot of teams underestimate: users in different countries don’t search the same way.
A keyword that works perfectly in English might have low volume—or a completely different meaning—in another market. And if people don’t search the keyword you use in your title, your app simply won’t appear for them.
That’s why localization isn’t just translation. It’s matching your naming strategy to real search behavior in each region.
Done well, localization helps you:
Some apps keep the brand name and localize only the descriptive part. Others adjust the entire title depending on their presence and recognition.
There’s no single right approach—the goal is simple: speak the same language your users search in.
A keyword that works perfectly in English might have low volume—or a completely different meaning—in another market. And if people don’t search the keyword you use in your title, your app simply won’t appear for them.
That’s why localization isn’t just translation. It’s matching your naming strategy to real search behavior in each region.
Done well, localization helps you:
- Hit the right keywords for each market
- Avoid awkward or misleading translations
- Align with local expectations and search patterns
- Make your store listing feel native, not repurposed
Some apps keep the brand name and localize only the descriptive part. Others adjust the entire title depending on their presence and recognition.
There’s no single right approach—the goal is simple: speak the same language your users search in.
Common mistakes in app naming
Even strong apps miss out on discoverability because they trip over the same naming mistakes. None of them are dramatic on their own—but together they quietly drain visibility, clarity, and conversion.
Here are the traps worth avoiding:
Here are the traps worth avoiding:
1. Overstuffing your title
Using the full 30 characters is good practice—but only when the line reads naturally. Packing every possible keyword into the title makes it messy, hard to scan, and weaker for indexing. The goal isn’t to fit as many words as possible, but to make the full length work as one clear, readable signal.
2. Choosing something too generic
Names like Photo Editor or Fitness Tracker blend into the crowd and face heavy competition. But generic isn’t always wrong. In some categories one broad keyword defines the entire niche—teleprompter, for example—and leaving it out would hurt visibility.
The key is strategy.
Use a broad keyword in the title only if it’s essential to describing your product or you can realistically compete for it. Everything else—mid- or low-competition keywords—can be expanded through the subtitle, keywords field, or description.
The key is strategy.
Use a broad keyword in the title only if it’s essential to describing your product or you can realistically compete for it. Everything else—mid- or low-competition keywords—can be expanded through the subtitle, keywords field, or description.
3. Using terms people don’t search for
Internal vocabulary might feel correct to the team, but users never type it. If the term doesn’t match natural search intent, it won’t help you rank.
4. Leaning on trademarked or risky words
Using another brand’s name—even indirectly—can get your app flagged or rejected. The short-term visibility isn’t worth the long-term problems.
5. Ignoring how the title looks in the store
A name might sound good in a brainstorm but completely fall apart when paired with an icon, a subtitle, and a small screen.
6. Skipping localization
If you leave your title untranslated, you’ll miss search traffic in markets where English isn’t the default. And since each region in the App Store supports its own extended set of localizations, it’s worth checking which ones you actually get access to. Visibility drops instantly when your title doesn’t match the language users search in.
The best app names don’t try to impress anyone. They feel natural, honest, and instantly familiar—like something that already belongs in the user’s world. And when a name feels right, people trust the product behind it just a little faster.
The best app names don’t try to impress anyone. They feel natural, honest, and instantly familiar—like something that already belongs in the user’s world. And when a name feels right, people trust the product behind it just a little faster.
Your name, your first win
Al Ries probably didn’t imagine his positioning ideas being applied to app stores—but here we are, and the logic holds perfectly. A name still makes the first judgment, even when it’s squeezed into a 30-character title field.
That’s the fun part.
Teams pour weeks into features, flows, and perfect animations… and then sometimes one clear, well-structured name ends up having more impact on visibility than anyone predicted. Especially when it introduces the keyword people actually search for.
And while the name itself is yours to create, making that name work in the stores—that’s where we come in.
If you want your title, subtitle, and keywords to form one system that actually lifts your visibility, not leaves it to guesswork—we’re here.
Contact LoveMobile and let us turn your metadata into a growth engine.
That’s the fun part.
Teams pour weeks into features, flows, and perfect animations… and then sometimes one clear, well-structured name ends up having more impact on visibility than anyone predicted. Especially when it introduces the keyword people actually search for.
And while the name itself is yours to create, making that name work in the stores—that’s where we come in.
If you want your title, subtitle, and keywords to form one system that actually lifts your visibility, not leaves it to guesswork—we’re here.
Contact LoveMobile and let us turn your metadata into a growth engine.
Client Success Director at LoveMobile with a vast experience in marketing. She remembers where digital marketing began and uses that foundation to drive today’s app growth with a customer-first mindset.
Veronica Konovalova