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How to Write an App Store App Name: 30-Character Title Strategy for ASO
The field that does the most work
On the App Store, your app name shows up almost everywhere users meet you: search results, the product page, top charts, and editorial placements. It is also one of the text fields Apple uses for search. Apple's own help text says your app is searchable by app name and company name, which is why you shouldn't repeat them in the keyword field.
Yet many indie developers either pick a clever brand word that tells users nothing, or cram so many keywords into 30 characters that the result reads like spam. This guide is about finding the middle.
The official rules
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| App names are limited to 30 characters | App Review Guideline 2.3.7 |
| Choose a unique app name; no trademarked terms, popular app names, pricing, or irrelevant phrases to game the system | Guideline 2.3.7 |
| App names, subtitles, screenshots, and previews should not include prices or terms not specific to the metadata type | Guideline 2.3.7 |
| Metadata must be appropriate for all audiences; "For Kids"/"For Children" reserved for the Kids Category | Guideline 2.3.8 |
| App name and icons across contexts should be similar to avoid confusion | Guideline 2.3.8 |
| The name is set per localization | App Store Connect |
In practice the app name is updated with an app version; plan name changes as part of a release rather than as a quick metadata tweak.
How the name fits with your other metadata
Think of the App Store's searchable text as three layers:
| Field | Limit | Visible in search results? | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| App name | 30 characters | Yes | Brand + your single most important term |
| Subtitle | 30 characters | Yes | A benefit or a second key phrase |
| Keyword field | 100 bytes | No | Remaining terms, no repeats |
The golden rule is no duplication across layers. If "budget" is in your name, it doesn't need to be in the subtitle or keyword field. Our keyword research guide covers the 100-byte field, and the subtitle vs promotional text guide covers the subtitle. Here we focus only on the name.
Three naming patterns
1. Brand + descriptor (the default choice)
"Tally: Habit Tracker", "Lumen – Photo Editor"
- The brand is memorable and ownable.
- The descriptor captures the main search intent.
- It reads naturally in search results.
This is the right pattern for most new apps. A separator (colon, en dash, or hyphen) keeps the brand visually distinct.
2. Brand only
"Notion", "Duolingo"
Works when people already search for you by name, from word of mouth, press, or a web product. For a new app with no awareness, a brand-only name throws away search relevance and gives users no clue what you do. If you go brand-only, the subtitle has to do all the descriptive work.
3. Descriptor-first
"Habit Tracker – Tally"
Puts the keyword first, which some developers prefer for truncation reasons. The cost: the brand gets cut off first in narrow layouts, and the name can look generic next to competitors with the same opening words. Use it only if your brand is weak and the descriptor is clearly differentiating.
Choosing the descriptor
Pick one primary phrase, not three. Ask:
- What would a new user type? "habit tracker", not "routine optimization".
- Is it truthful and central? Guideline 2.3.7 wants names and keywords that accurately describe the app. If AI is a minor feature, "AI" doesn't belong in the name.
- Can you realistically compete? Very generic terms ("photo editor") are crowded. A narrower phrase ("film photo editor") may be more winnable for a small app.
- Does it match the first screenshot? Users scan the name, subtitle, and first screenshot together. If the name says "Habit Tracker" and screenshot 1 shows a journal, you lose the click. See how to make App Store screenshots that convert.
Character budgeting
Thirty characters go fast. Some tactics:
- Use "&" instead of "and" when listing two concepts: "Sleep & Meditation".
- Drop filler words: "The", "App", "Your", "Best" add nothing (and "Best" can attract review attention).
- Avoid version numbers and years like "2026"; they date quickly and aren't specific to the metadata type.
- Count spaces and punctuation. "Tally: Habit Tracker" is 20 characters including the colon and spaces.
Truncation
Depending on device and layout, long names can be truncated in search results and lists. A good habit is to put the part users must see within roughly the first 20–25 characters, then preview the listing on a small iPhone before you ship. Exact cutoffs vary by context, so test rather than rely on a fixed number.
What not to put in the name
| Don't | Why |
|---|---|
| Competitor or popular app names ("Like Notion") | Explicitly disallowed by 2.3.7 |
| Trademarked terms you don't own | 2.3.7 and potential legal issues |
| Prices or promos ("Free", "50% Off") | Not specific to the metadata type |
| Rankings or superlatives ("#1", "Best") | Unverifiable; review risk |
| Long keyword chains ("Budget Money Expense Finance") | Reads as stuffing; Apple may take action |
| Emoji and decorative symbols | Hurts readability and consistency; review risk |
| "For Kids" outside the Kids Category | Reserved by 2.3.8 |
Localizing the app name
Each App Store localization has its own app name, subtitle, and keywords. That means:
- Translate the descriptor, not necessarily the brand. "Tally: Habit Tracker" might become "Tally: Gewohnheiten" in German. Brand stays, descriptor localizes.
- Research local search terms. Direct translations are often not what people type. Our localization guide covers this for visuals; the same logic applies to names.
- Keep the brand recognizable across localizations so users and reviewers see the same app (2.3.8 asks for similar names and icons across contexts).
Many ASO practitioners treat additional localizations available in a storefront as extra keyword space. Apple doesn't document indexing behavior in detail, so if you try this, keep every localized name genuinely accurate and measure the results instead of assuming.
When to change your app name
Changing a name resets some brand recognition and can confuse existing users. Good reasons:
- Your positioning changed (a note app that became a task manager).
- The descriptor isn't working and you have evidence: low impressions for the target term over several months.
- A trademark or legal issue.
Bad reasons:
- Chasing a trending keyword every month.
- Adding a holiday term for one week.
If you change it, update the subtitle, screenshots, and keyword field in the same release so everything tells one story, and keep the brand portion stable.
Testing before you commit
App Store Connect's Product Page Optimization tests screenshots, icons, and previews, not the app name. To de-risk a name change:
- Compare search impressions and conversion for the target term in App Analytics before and after.
- Run Apple Ads on the candidate term to see whether it brings relevant traffic before you bake it into the name.
- Ask a few target users to describe what the app does after seeing only the name and icon.
Checklist
- ≤ 30 characters, counted with spaces and punctuation
- Brand + one primary descriptor (or a strong reason not to)
- Descriptor is accurate and central to the app
- No duplication with subtitle or keyword field
- No competitor names, trademarks, prices, rankings, emoji, or "For Kids"
- Important part visible in a truncated layout on a small iPhone
- Localized descriptors researched per market, brand consistent
- Name, subtitle, and first screenshot tell the same story
Bottom line
Your app name is a 30-character promise: who you are and what you do. Keep the brand, add one honest descriptor, leave the rest to the subtitle and keyword field, and change it only when you have evidence.