Newsletter Names: 21 Ideas and Examples to Make Yours Catchy

The first step in creating your own newsletter can be the hardest. Before you can set it up, you need to think of a name. But, how do you come up with one that stands out and gets your point across?

Let me give you some ideas for newsletter names. I’ll go over tactics to follow in the brainstorming process and share examples of unique newsletter names to inspire you.

In this article:

Coming up with an impactful name is key to successfully starting your newsletter. A good newsletter name will…

Make your newsletter more memorable: An easy-to-understand and impactful name will help your newsletter stick around in readers’ minds.
Improves your newsletter’s findability: When you have a distinct newsletter name, readers will be able to find it more easily by typing in your domain or using a search engine.
Helps readers understand your newsletter’s purpose: Newsletter names that represent their subject matter help new readers know what to expect when they read their first issue.

While it’s easy to identify a good newsletter name, it’s a little harder to come up with one yourself. Try these strategies as you brainstorm names for your newsletter:

Base it on your name, brand name, or blog name: Including or riffing on your name will help readers relate your newsletter to you, the author. This tactic makes your life easier and can especially help when you’re building a newsletter from an existing website or blog.
Use a term relevant to your niche: A niche-specific term, such as “thimble” for a sewing newsletter, communicates your newsletter’s purpose quickly. If you use slang or a more obscure term, you can also signify your “in” status in your subject area, but be careful not to alienate less experienced readers.
Work in a creative reference: References in newsletter names can also extend to anything your typical audience member would understand. Think of memes, events, or figures that you could nod to in your name.
Try wordplay: Use any of the above tactics to think of words relevant to your newsletter and spruce them up with a good rhyme or pun.
Research domain names: Whenever you come up with a newsletter name, run it through a domain search to make sure it’s available. You’ll know if you have a truly unique name and get extra ideas from suggested domains. As you look over your domain options, consider if you could incorporate one into your newsletter name (e.g. www.calligraphy.zone could become Calligraphy Zone).

Still having trouble thinking of a good name? Break the naming process down into these steps:

1. Create a word bank

Think of as many words related to your newsletter topic as you can and put them in a document or spreadsheet. These words could include:

Your name, your internet handle, your blog name, or your brand name
Activities related to your niche
Tools you use in your subject area
Words related to the mission or tone of your newsletter
Words or phrases that describe your typical reader (such as “football fan”)

Tools that generate related words like this one can help you with this step.

2. Combine and riff on your words

Now, take the list of words you created and combine them to create potential names. Try plugging them into these formulas:

[ADJECTIVE] + [NOUN]
[NOUN] + [RHYME] (Try using RhymeZone to find rhymes)
[BLOG NAME] + [NOUN] Newsletter
[DAY THAT YOU POST] + [NOUN]
[JARGON/SLANG] + [NOUN]
[YOUR NAME] Daily/Weekly/Monthly
[PREFIX] + [NOUN] or [NOUN] + [SUFFIX] (Check out this list of prefixes and suffixes)

You don’t have to use formulas for every idea. Look over your list and combine different words that sound good together, too.

As you come up with names, collect them all in their own list.

3. Narrow down your options

Once you have a list of at least 10 names, narrow that list down to your favorite three to five names. These will be your finalists.

4. Check name availability

Before you choose your newsletter’s final name, check that nobody else is already using it. Plug your finalists into a domain name search if you plan on building a website focused on your newsletter. Search those names in search engines, too, to see if they’re already associated with another creative property.

5. Pick your winner

After you rule out any names already used by other people, you can choose your favorite name from your list of finalists. Discuss them with your colleagues or friends if you need help picking the right one.

21 examples of newsletters with memorable names

As you ponder your newsletter name, check out these newsletters with unique names for inspiration. It can help to work from examples.

1. The Assist

The Assist offers tips for becoming a better professional a few times a week. It uses humor and friendly advice to guide readers through the workplace.

While many of us would be happier having a personal assistant, not so many can afford one. The Assist’s name implies that it’ll provide that assistance in your inbox for free.

2. The DONUT

The DONUT aims to deliver unbiased news digests in an accessible and engaging format.

Its name succeeds on two levels. First, “DONUT” is actually an acronym standing for Dose of News Useful Today. Second, the word “donut” evokes the fun mood that the newsletter conveys.

As you think of a name, consider how you can summarize your newsletter in an acronym that matches the message you want to get across.

3. Total Annarchy

Ann Handley, the author of the beloved content marketing book Everybody Writes, publishes a newsletter called Total Annarchy. Each issue includes her tips and thoughts on writing, marketing, and life.

Her newsletter name offers a clever pun on her name while reflecting its personal perspective. Newsletter names based on your own name work especially well when you plan on writing about personal elements.

4. The Goodnewsletter

Good Good Good publishes The Goodnewsletter to share the good news covered on its site via email.

In addition to its fun wordplay on “good news” and “newsletter”, The Goodnewsletter’s name stands out through the part it plays in Good Good Good’s media network. It works with the names of Good Good Good’s Goodnewspaper and Sound Good podcast to create a consistent experience no matter how you consume your good news.

5. Go Long

Go Long is Tyler Dunne’s newsletter featuring profiles and deep dives on the humans in football.

This newsletter’s name takes a term from its niche that represents its approach to content. Tyler Dunne specializes in long-form journalism, “going long” on topics related to football.

6. Welcome to Hell World

Luke O’Neil’s Welcome to Hell World includes essays and thoughts on injustices in American society, plus any other writing that he feels like publishing.

The phrase “welcome to hell world” is straight to the point and down to earth, just like the writing O’Neil shares in his newsletter. Think of how you can match your newsletter name to its tone of writing.

7. REPLY ALT

REPLY ALT shares interviews, features, and other long-form writing on alternative rock genres like emo and punk.

Its name acts as a crossover of the genres connected to it — email newsletters and alternative rock music. While “reply all” is a common email term, “alt” refers to alternative rock music.

8. HEATED

In HEATED, the authors cover news and opinions for people angry about global warming.

The name HEATED serves two meanings here — heated as in a warmer planet and heated as in mad. It conveys the newsletter’s topic and angle at the same time.

9. Meat/Less

The Meat/Less newsletter course from Vox consists of five emails that teach readers how to add more plant-based foods to their diets.

This course’s name works well because it acknowledges all of the types of readers who’d want to sign up. Some want to go fully meatless, while others want less meat in their diets. The slash in between “meat” and “less” lets the title refer to both groups.

10. 3-2-1 Thursday

James Clear’s 3-2-1 Thursday newsletter shares three ideas, two quotes, and one question every Thursday.

This newsletter goes to show that names don’t have to be complicated, especially when you have a straightforward premise. Its name communicates what to expect and when to expect it in two words.

11. Hit Points

Hit Points, a newsletter from the experienced video game consultant Nathan Brown, covers video games and the business and culture surrounding them.

The term “hit points” is very familiar to video game fans — it refers to the points that measure a character’s health. People who like video games can easily see that this newsletter will be relevant to their interests.

12. Stuff Worth Knowing

Mike Williams’ Stuff Worth Knowing rounds up news on all sorts of media and tech, including video games, anime, and film.

Its name captures the newsletter’s casual mood while establishing its importance. The phrase “stuff worth knowing” assures you that you should take the time to read the newsletter.

13. Platformer

Platformer shares reporting on social media platforms, their business, and how the intersection of the two affect the world around them.

In this case, you’ll see one of the newsletter naming tricks I shared in action. The creators added the “-er” suffix to the word “platform” to create a unique name.

14. 1440

Every day, the 1440 newsletter summarizes news from over 100 sources in the most unbiased manner possible.

This newsletter has one of the deepest names on this list. The number 1440 refers to the year people invented the printing press and the number of minutes available in the day. It reflects the creators’ desire to spread knowledge and help people make the most of their days.

As you think of names for your newsletter, consider what numbers, statistics, and concepts matter most to your mission.

15. The GIST

The GIST has three newsletters covering general sports news, sports business news, and college business news. All of its content aims to share knowledge about sports in an inclusive way for women and non-binary folks.

These newsletters have a straightforward name that reflects their mission. They share the most important parts of their subjects without being condescending.

16. The Daily Skimm

The Daily Skimm from theSkimm shares snappy summaries of the day’s most important news.

Its name consists of a playful spelling of the word “skim”, demonstrating its purpose of providing a skimmable news resource. You can add or change a letter in a word related to your newsletter to create a one-of-a-kind name.

17. Below the Fold

Every week, Below the Fold shares lesser-known news stories you won’t find on the front page of other publications.

You may know the term “above the fold” which refers to the content that appears in the top half of a newspaper. Meanwhile, “below the fold” covers the writing in the second half that people aren’t as likely to read, making it a great name for a newsletter about more obscure news.

18. Good Beer Hunting

The newsletter for Good Beer Hunting collects the media platform’s long-form stories, podcasts, and other content on the business of beer.

Good Beer Hunting is a riff on the movie title Good Will Hunting and encapsulates the spirit of the publication as a whole. Much of the content the newsletter presents explores different breweries and beers.

19. Brain Food

Farnam Street’s Brain Food newsletter shares insights from the Farnam Street blog and Knowledge Project podcast focused on improving your thinking and learning.

The name of the newsletter ties the two types of content together into “brain food” — “bite-sized” tidbits of knowledge that help you train your brain.

20. Blackbird Spyplane

A newsletter we’ve referenced multiple times on this blog in posts like this one, Blackbird Spyplane, provides “unbeatable recon” on street style.

Blackbird spyplanes were American reconnaissance planes used to gain information for the military. While these planes got intel on political affairs, the newsletter Blackbird Spyplane lives up to the name by getting scoops on offbeat style.

21. Creative Caffeine

David Sherry, a successful business founder and bootstrapper, shares advice for founders and thoughts on the creator economy in the Creative Caffeine newsletter.

This newsletter’s name represents a promise to provide a jolt of creativity through its tips and inspiration. As you think up names for your newsletter, look for ways to guarantee benefits.

We’ve provided you with lots of inspiration, some strategies and tips to brainstorm ideas, and by now, you may have chosen your newsletter’s name. With a name in hand, what’s next?

Whether you already have a website in WordPress or want to build one from scratch, you can use WordPress.com Newsletter to manage your newsletter. This tool lets you customize and publish your newsletter in WordPress. Some of my favorite features are:

Importing your subscribers from other newsletter platforms
Customizing your newsletter posts using the WordPress Editor’s full capabilities, including Block Patterns
Publishing your newsletter issues from anywhere with Post by Email

Get started today by visiting the WordPress.com Newsletter setup page.

Once you have a newsletter name and a place to publish it, it’s time to write each issue. This step becomes easier when you set up an editorial calendar that determines what and when you’ll write. Create a consistent publishing schedule, then assign each of your publishing days a topic.

Use our list of 150+ newsletter ideas to keep your editorial calendar full all year long.

We’d love to hear your creative newsletter name and how these tips helped you bring it to life. Let us know in the comments below.

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