How To Pick a DJ Name

It’s not easy to come up with the perfect DJ name. Early reactions to the name will tend to linger with you in a way that is difficult to clear. That is also true for the first impression people have of an artist’s DJ name. It’s not easy to convey what you’re about as a DJ in just a few syllables.

Especially if you want it to work for you in the future. It is, however, undoubtedly one of the most crucial decisions you will make in your DJ career.

A good DJ name will pique the interest of listeners, embrace your stage character, and act and act as your vehicle as you storm the stage. Ideally, you want to create something authentically you, memorable, catchy, and cool that you can be proud of.

The line between a trendy DJ name and an embarrassing DJ name is thin, and it is determined by a variety of personal variables.

It’s one thing to pick something that makes you laugh because it’s a funny inside joke, but once you’re a few years in and headlining clubs, the same DJ name may not be as appropriate. Whether it’s email accounts or fashion choices made as teenagers, they’re difficult to justify a decade later.

Remember that a DJ name will be with you for a long time. It can be difficult to design a one-of-a-kind one for oneself while projecting how you will evolve.

It is natural and healthy for your artistic tastes to evolve over time, and you want your DJ name to be a foundation with which you may grow, rather than something that will bind you to a style, sound, or mood.

Changing it mid-career requires effort and may result in the loss of built-up momentum. However, the fact that you are reading this indicates that you are concerned about your aspiring DJ’s name.

That’s already half the battle won. We’re here to assist you to navigate the complexities of choosing the best nickname for you.

What Makes A Good DJ Name?

There are numerous factors that influence how well your DJ name works for you, thus there is no one technique to follow. It may be argued that the ideal name for you is whatever makes you feel the finest.

However, tastes vary greatly, and some words may not translate as well as others when taken out of context. As a result, it is critical to consider how your DJ name will be perceived in varying circumstances. Ideally, you want something that makes you happy while simultaneously meeting the following criteria:

It should appeal to your target audience
It should make sense
It should reflect your style and sound
It should be easy to say and spell
It should be memorable
It should be SEO friendly

Different Types Of DJ

Before you start thinking about what DJ name is perfect for you, you should think about where you want your career to go. Luck may play a role in taking you to unexpected places, but you should have a broad plan in place. You don’t want to limit your gig opportunities.

If you want to mostly perform at club gigs, it is advisable to tailor your DJ name to those settings. Club DJs may get away with a more raunchy, edgy DJ moniker. Depending on what subculture appeals to you, you could try to build your name on that.

It could be associated with techno, rap, rave culture, LGBTQ, or anything else. People who wish to focus on playing a broader range of concerts, such as festivals, corporate bookings, and bars, should avoid leaning out the window too far in terms of shock value.

A mobile DJ’s name should appeal to young audiences while without alienating more conservative listeners.

If you haven’t chosen where you want your career to go, opt for a DJ name that falls somewhere in the middle. A nice DJ name that won’t raise too many heads. Losing potential bookings because a name is too goofy or edgy is not something you want if you want to appeal to a broad audience.

Another factor to consider is whether you want to forego the individual DJ name entirely and instead use a company name to promote your DJing services. This might help to make your DJ services appear larger than they are, and persuade more people of your quality.

It also opens the door for you to collaborate with other professionals to provide extra services for your events, such as photography.

Your Real Name

Some people are born with cool names that are stylish and sophisticated. While we can’t always judge our names objectively since we’re so used to them, you might already have a fantastic DJ name. Some of the top DJs currently use their birth names, and it works well for them.

If your name is too common, unmemorable, or difficult to say, you could try to change it. Martin Garrix, for example, is born Martijn Garritsen. Garrix has a more upbeat and universal vibe.

Remember that if you use your real name, you and your DJ alter ego will have the same personality. This may not be desired if you work a corporate job by day and don’t want your boss knowing about your weekend gigs.

Instead, you can experiment with other spellings of your name to provide some variety while still maintaining a personal touch. It could be something distinctive about you, such as a second nationality or a distinguishing characteristic of your appearance, or you may already have a nickname from your peers that fits perfectly.

Your Style And Image

If you don’t want to use your birth name, there are plenty of other DJ names to choose from. A name with some connection to your narrative may be a good choice because you can quickly associate with it and it will have a sense of life-filled authenticity.

That might be a childhood moniker or something you’ve picked up in your local music scene. A fun story could be the inspiration for the name.

Make Something Up

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you may choose an entirely fictitious DJ name. If you go with that option, you might find it useful to think about your favorite fictional characters. Consider what a fantastic musical hero name would sound like.

Once you have a name, you can begin to build around it and become it. Psychologically, creating an alter-ego DJ name might act as your stage persona.

You will feel different than usual if you have a fictitious name. When you have a different feeling, you act differently. One might use this to one’s advantage by immersing oneself in an inspiring novel in order to be as artistically motivated as possible.

Generate It

There are also several simple name generators available online which can help you. You can sometimes just hit a button and the site will spew out a list of names. Others request information such as linked traits or letters you’d like to include.

You can use a dictionary or thesaurus to find fresh ways to say what you’ve previously said. You can also pick a common word and translate it into another language (provided it is still easy to pronounce and spell).

Keep It Simple

While it may be tempting to be creative with your name in order to encourage the picking process, it will almost certainly backfire on you in the not-too-distant future. For example, while replacing the letter S for the number 5 worked for Deadmau5, it is unlikely that it would work for you.

If you choose a name that contains characters from the Latin alphabet, it should be meaningful to the majority of people throughout the world, regardless of whether they are native English speakers or not.

Branded Names

If you know your target demographic well, you can take a riskier approach than your name, which will resonate more with the audience. Let’s say you play a specific type of music; the name could be derived from the genre’s subculture.

If you only perform certain types of events, you can get really precise, such as “Wedding DJ Paris,” which would rank well in Google search results and let people know immediately what your expertise is, but in other circumstances, it is a bit too descriptive and monotonous.

Choosing between descriptive and branded names is often difficult. You’re trying to decide between telling the world exactly what you do and saying something cool and memorable.

Whether or not you do this depends on your goals. Are you looking for gigs at local events or do you want to make a name for yourself as a global DJ?

Making Your DJ Name SEO Friendly

You simply cannot overestimate the importance of appearing on the first page of Google in this day and age. With an endless number of DJs advertising their services online, there’s a little chance you’ll appear on the first page right away.

But there are a few things you can do to make it easy for yourself if people try to find you. This is why it is critical to choose a distinct name. Using your true name can also be beneficial unless your name is something boring and a name that many other people have.

Not only does your name need to stand out, but it’s also worth making a few little changes to your internet presence to help you be found. Changing your social handles’ names and website titles to incorporate the city you primarily work in and the events you specialize in might also help.

Nobody will be looking for you explicitly if they don’t know who you are, but they may be looking for a wedding DJ in your city, for example.

All DJs with these terms in their DJ names, Instagram handles, bios and descriptions will appear at the top of the results page. It is common knowledge that the great majority of people do not browse past the first page of Google search results.

That is, the most SEO-optimized DJ names will have the best odds of being booked by anyone searching for DJs in general. If such impromptu appointments are important to you, bear this in mind.

Sooner Is Better Than Later

If you’re even remotely interested in becoming a DJ, you’ll need to come up with a catchy DJ name. You should do it sooner rather than later. You begin to create your brand as soon as you start releasing mixtapes and playing local venues. Being able to identify yourself in all of these scenarios is critical to your success.

People that like what you do will want to follow your social media channels, listen to your music, and even give you further engagements. Even if you’re on your third job, if you perform a wonderful job and have everything in order, you might come across as a pro.

Even if you play in a modest, unknown club, you never know what opportunities can present themselves. In every circumstance, you must expect the best and be ready to accept an opportunity when it comes knocking. That includes having a well-thought-out name, branding, and social media outlets.

Many opportunities have been squandered as a result of laziness. Be wise and learn from the blunders of previous young DJs. Dress for the job you desire, which means you should get a name as soon as you start your DJ business and begin creating your digital empire around it.

Can You Pronounce It?

Phonetics is the study of how speech sounds. It is always best to pick a name that is spelled how it sounds phonetically. This way, if someone hears about your music through a friend, they can surely find you.

If you do choose a difficult-to-spell name, make sure to provide the phonetics of how your name should sound on your social media profiles.

Can I Trademark My DJ Name?

Yes! – applying for a trademark for a DJ name is the same as applying for any other trademark, with the exception that you must state in your trademark application that you are denying any rights to generic components of the name, such as the terms “DJ” or “MC.”

Before you may apply to trademark your DJ name, you must be actively utilizing it in commerce. Find a copy of a handbill or advertisement with your DJ name on it that you can present to the United States Copyright Office when asked.

Conduct a background check to see if your desired DJ name is already in use. Begin by searching the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Electronic Search System, but also look on the Internet and in musician and DJ directories.

If your name is currently in use, your application may be denied, or you may face trademark infringement claims.

Conclusion

Choosing a DJ name is one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make in your career. Following the steps in this article should help you avoid making some of the same mistakes that many people make and help you create a DJ name you can be proud of.

Remember that when it comes to picking a brand or product name, the world’s largest corporations invest a significant amount of time and money to ensure that they get it right the first time. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, but be sure you don’t make a hasty decision.