How to Pick Perfect Name for Your YouTube Channel in 2026

 So if you are a new YouTube creator, I’m going to directly tell you how you should create your channel name. I won’t go around in circles or stretch the video unnecessarily, because I have 8 years of YouTube experience. I have three channels, all with different names, and today I’m going to practically discuss the theory behind each of those names with you.


So let’s start.
When I started my first channel, I was new, and maybe you’re thinking the same way right now — that whatever you are doing should be reflected in your channel name. My channel was about photography, and I used to vlog, so I thought: let’s name it “The Photography Blogger.” I believed that if someone searched for “photography blogger,” my channel would appear at the top, and brands would line up to work with me. In the beginning, you don’t really know much, so this is the kind of approach you take. After about 2–2.5 years, my videos started performing well, and people began recognizing me. Whenever I was out shooting or meeting viewers, they would say, “Hey, The Photography Blogger!” That became my identity.
Branding is very important. That’s something I’ll continue guiding you about on this channel — build your own identity. You need to market yourself. Your personal branding matters. That’s why I changed the channel name to Kunal Malhotra. I felt people should know me as Kunal Malhotra, not just “The Photography Blogger.” Again, this is just my belief — not about right or wrong. So after 2–3 years, I changed the name, and it’s still Kunal Malhotra today. Now let’s talk about my second channel. I wanted to create a second channel where I could upload extra content. I named it “Kunal Malhotra 2.0.” The reason is simple — it’s my second channel, and it still uses my name. So whenever someone watches a video there, they instantly know it belongs to Kunal Malhotra, and “2.0” clearly shows it’s the second channel. Now let’s come to the third channel — the one you’re watching right now: “Make Better Videos With Kunal.” Here, a common myth comes up: that your channel name shouldn’t be too long. People worry about length. This channel name is quite long — “Make Better Videos With Kunal.” When I first launched it, I even got comments saying, “Bro, it’s too long. Change the name.” But here’s my theory: the length of your channel name does not decide whether your channel will grow or not. 95% of your channel’s growth depends on your content — what value you’re giving to people.
I chose “Make Better Videos” because that’s exactly what I help you with — how to create better videos. I added “With Kunal” so there’s a personal connection and continuity with my name. Branding is very important to me, and I want you to understand that too. In the beginning, you might think, “We’re just starting a channel for fun.” I started for fun too. But after two years, when it started growing well, I realized I should have built it around my name from the start. So the question is: should you keep your channel name as your own name? I generally suggest yes — but there are exceptions, like this channel. If you plan to use your full name, here are two or three important things you must check first:

So whatever you choose, stay aligned with it. Preferably, I’d suggest keeping it around your name. If “Kunal Malhotra” was taken, I could use something like “Kunal Malhotra Photography” or “Kunal Malhotra Vlogs.”

Also, if your channel is verified (100,000+ subscribers) and you change the name, your verification badge will be removed. You’ll have to reapply for verification.