True crime is the most popular podcast genre on Apple Podcasts, with over 300,000 shows competing for listeners. That saturation makes naming harder. Generic titles like "True Crime Stories" or "Murder Mystery Podcast" disappear into a wall of identical-sounding shows. A name that stands out in this genre needs to signal the specific angle, tone, or format that makes your show different.
Here's how to find a true crime podcast name that pulls listeners in.
Pick a specific angle
The most successful true crime podcasts own a niche. "Serial" worked because it focused on one case. "My Favorite Murder" worked because it combined comedy with crime. Your name should signal your specific angle:
- Cold cases: "The Cold Trail," "Unresolved," "Case Still Open"
- Forensic focus: "Body of Evidence," "The Lab Report," "Trace Analysis"
- Local/regional: "Midwest Murders," "Pacific Northwest Crime," "Southern Gothic"
- Historical: "Crimes of the Century," "Victorian Villains," "Prohibition Era"
- Investigative journalism: "The Deep Dig," "Paper Trail," "Source Material"
Signal the tone in your title
True crime audiences span a wide range. Some want serious investigative journalism. Others want dark humor. Your name should attract the right listeners and repel the wrong ones:
- Serious and respectful: "Victims' Voices," "The Full Record," "Justice Delayed"
- Conversational: "Crime and Coffee," "Murder Monday," "The Crime Chat"
- Dark humor: "Killer Banter," "Dead Serious," "Grave Humor"
- Thriller/suspense: "Midnight Files," "The Darkroom," "Shadow Case"
Use naming patterns that work in the genre
Certain naming structures perform well in true crime:
- The [Noun]: "The Clearing," "The Vanished," "The Prosecutors"
- [Adjective] [Crime term]: "Small Town Murder," "Dark History," "Buried Secrets"
- [Location] + [Crime]: "Appalachian Mysteries," "Bayou Crimes," "Desert Disappearances"
- Single evocative word: "Casefile," "Unsolved," "Crimetown"
Avoid these common mistakes
- Generic phrases: "True Crime Podcast" appears in over 500 show titles. It tells listeners nothing about what makes your show different.
- Overused words: "Murder," "mystery," and "crime" appear in thousands of titles. If you use them, pair with something unexpected.
- Names that trivialize victims: True crime covers real tragedies. Names that sound flippant or disrespectful can alienate both listeners and potential guests.
- Names too similar to major shows: Launching "Serious" when "Serial" dominates the charts creates confusion and trademark risk.
How Jellypod helps
Jellypod's podcast name generator understands true crime naming conventions. Enter your specific angle (cold cases, forensic science, regional focus) and the tool returns names that fit the genre without sounding generic. Built-in availability checks show whether your top choices are already taken on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, so you avoid launching with a name that competes with an established show.
Final thoughts
In a genre with 300,000+ competitors, your name is your first filter. It should tell listeners exactly what kind of true crime you cover and what experience they will get. Specificity beats cleverness. A clear name attracts the right audience faster than a vague one ever could.
