What's in a Name? How to Name Your Indie Game and Studio

Why Names Matter More Than Developers Think

A name is the first frame through which someone sees your game. It appears in Steam search results, thumbnail text, social media posts, podcast mentions, and word-of-mouth recommendations. A bad name doesn't kill a good game, but it creates unnecessary friction at every stage of marketing.

The two failure modes are opposite: too generic (your game is unfindable in search, it sounds like everything else) or too obscure (no one can spell it, remember it, or say it confidently).

Naming Your Game — What Works

Short and distinct

One or two words is ideal. Three works. More than that and you're making things hard for yourself on thumbnails, social media, and word of mouth. "iZBOT" is five characters. "Hollow Knight" is two words. "Outer Wilds" is two words. Long names like "What Remains of Edith Finch" work despite the length because the entire name is memorable and distinctive.

Pronounceable without explanation

If someone hears your game's name mentioned on a podcast and can't Google it because they don't know how it's spelled, that's friction. Say your name out loud. Ask someone to spell it back. If there's ambiguity, consider whether it's worth it.

Searchable and unique

Before committing to a name, search it on Google, Steam, and Twitter. If there are 50 other products with the same name, yours will be buried. iZBOT returns Ruxar's game immediately because nothing else is called that. This is also good for SEO — unique names are inherently rankable.

Evocative without being on-the-nose

"iZBOT" suggests a robot (BOT) and has a slightly irreverent lowercase-i prefix that hints at a particular era of tech branding — which fits the game's aesthetic. It doesn't spell out "PRECISION PLATFORMER" because it doesn't need to. What it communicates is personality and genre-adjacent association.

Common Game Naming Mistakes

Naming your game after a generic concept: "Shadow," "Abyss," "Void," or "Echo" as standalone names are SEO disasters and are forgotten immediately. They're also likely already taken.

Including version numbers in the name: "Super [Something] 2" works if it's a true sequel to an established property. "V2" or "2.0" in a title usually signals a rushed sequel naming decision.

Names that require explanation: if you have to explain what the name means or how it's spelled every time you introduce your game, the name is working against you.

Copying an existing hit's naming pattern too closely: a game called "Hollow Night" or "Hollow Knights" is not clever — it's confusing and will be forever associated with Team Cherry's game instead of standing on its own.

Naming Your Studio

Studio names operate differently from game names. Your studio name needs to hold up across multiple projects with potentially different genres and tones. A studio called "PrecisionPlatformerStudios" is trapped in a genre. A studio called "Ruxar" is open.

Invented words work well

They're inherently unique, trademarkable, and genre-agnostic. The downside is they require consistent exposure before they're recognised — you're building name recognition from zero. The upside is you own the word entirely.

Check the domain first

If ruxar.com weren't available, "Ruxar" would have been a harder choice. Check the .com availability before falling in love with a name.

Check for trademark conflicts

Search IP Australia (or the equivalent office in your country) and the USPTO for similar names in Class 41 (entertainment services). A letter from a trademark holder after you've built brand equity is expensive and demoralising.

Check it internationally if you can

Some words that are neutral in English have unfortunate meanings in other languages. A quick Google Translate pass through your most common market languages is worth ten minutes.

The iZBOT Naming Story

iZBOT came from the central mechanic of the game — you control a small robot through obstacle-filled levels. "BOT" made sense. The lowercase "i" prefix was partly aesthetic (it fit the game's logo design) and partly a nod to the era of consumer tech that influenced the game's look. The capital "ZBOT" creates a visual emphasis on the robot element while the lowercase "i" softens it into something more personal. In practice, it's short, reads clearly in thumbnails, and is immediately distinct in any search.

The Ruxar Naming Story

Ruxar is an invented word. The goal was something short, pronounceable, globally neutral, and domain-available. It has no inherent meaning, which means it can accumulate its own meaning over time — which is how brand identity works. "Ruxar" is now associated with precision platformers and iZBOT because that's what Ruxar has made.

Practical Checklist Before Committing to a Name

Before finalising any game or studio name:

1. Say it out loud 10 times. Does it still sound right?
2. Ask 3 people to spell it after hearing it once.
3. Search it on Google, Steam, and Twitter.
4. Check the .com domain.
5. Check trademark databases in your primary markets.
6. Imagine it as a YouTube thumbnail, a tweet, and a word-of-mouth recommendation.
7. Sit with it for a week. If it still feels right, use it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I come up with a good indie game name?

A good game name is short (1–3 words), pronounceable out loud, unique enough to find on Google, and evocative of the genre or tone. Test it by saying it out loud, searching it on Steam, and asking someone unfamiliar if they can spell it after hearing it once. Avoid names that are too generic (you'll never rank for them) or too obscure (people won't remember them).

How do I name my game studio?

Studio names work differently from game names — they need to hold up across multiple projects, so they shouldn't be too specific to any one genre. Short, invented words (like Ruxar) or two-word combinations often work well. Check that the .com domain is available, that there's no existing company with the name in your region, and that it's trademarkable. Avoid studio names that are identical or very similar to major existing studios.

Should my game name be SEO-friendly?

Yes, with caveats. A unique name means your game will rank easily for exact searches — if someone hears about iZBOT and Googles it, they find it immediately. Generic names compete with thousands of existing pages. That said, SEO shouldn't override creative fit. A name that's SEO-perfect but tonally wrong for your game will hurt your brand. Aim for unique-enough-to-rank and right-for-the-game.