Naming is the hardest part of a plugin when submitting your plugin to the WordPress Plugin Directory. In this tutorial, I will go over tips for naming your plugin, where to get names, and some caveats when setting up your plugin files.
Finding a Name is the Hard Part
Coming up with a name for a new plugin is difficult. You want to be as direct as possible, while still being unique, searchable, and discoverable.
For example, one time I named a plugin “BB Vapor Modules” because they were modules for Beaver Builder. However, search terms for “BB” and “Vapor Modules” returned results for vape equipment and BB guns. I never stood a chance because I used a name I thought was cool.
Make sure you do some keyword research and test searches for potential plugin names so you can gauge what is out there in terms of results.
Describe your plugin to AI and ask for some keyword suggestions. You can plug those into your favorite keyword research tool (I prefer SemRush), and get a good pulse on what users are actually searching for.
What not to include in a plugin’s name
When you’re listed on .org, you’re being listed on someone else’s website, exposing them to potential liability. Part of this protection is against companies after trademarks, so it’s in .org’s best interest to heavily police any trademarked terms appearing in the directory. Since plugins in the directory can be listed anywhere, it’s essential to keep up compliance.
Here are my tips for what not to include in a plugin’s name:
Do NOT use a trademark in your plugin name (i.e., Facebook Share Button).
If using a trademark in a name, you can sometimes get away with “Button for Facebook,” but your slug mustn’t include a trademarked term (e.g., don’t use button-for-facebook as your plugin slug).
Avoid using a company name in the name (companies come and go, and it’s hard to change the branding later). I have some old plugins with “Metronet” in the name as a result of including the company’s name in the plugin.
Avoid using WordPress, WP, or anything involving the WordPress trademark. WP is frankly overused, and using the term WordPress is a big no-no.
How to Find Plugin Name Inspiration
In addition to keyword research already mentioned, you can try out several name generators.
namelix is my favorite name generator
The platform Namelix is a nice domain name generator that also lets you know whether a domain name is available for the term.
One facepalm is when you’ve done all the naming, and you find out the plugin slug is taken.
Here’s my tip for that.
Head to: https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/your-plugin-slug
Replace your-plugin-slug with your desired slug.
If it errors, then the plugin is not taken.
Plugin Slug Not Found in the WordPress Plugin Directory
Your are stuck with your plugin slug for life
Make sure you can live with your plugin slug. When you submit it to the repo, the plugin team will create a slug for you based on your plugin upload.
You can change the slug after submission by emailing the plugins team, but once it’s approved, you are stuck with it.
Your Plugin Slug
Your slug is your plugin name converted to lowercase and dashes.
For example, if you have a title named Powerhouse Blocks, the slug would be powerhouse-blocks.
For example, an old plugin we renamed Easy Updates Manager still has a slug of stops-core-theme-and-plugin-updates. Yes, it’s a long one.
Your main plugin file cannot be changed After Your First Release
Let’s say, for example, we have a plugin with the slug “powerhouse-blocks”.
Your main file will have your plugin headers and plugin initialization code.
I’ve seen a variety of ways plugin authors name the main file, but let’s go over some examples.
powerhouse-blocks/index.php
powerhouse-blocks/main.php
powerhouse-blocks/powerhouse-blocks.php
powerhouse-blocks/class-powerhouse-blocks.php
You can’t change the main filename after release because WordPress stores plugin data just like above.
If people are using, say, powerhouse-blocks/main.php, this will result in an error if you change it and users update.
See, WordPress is looking for your slug plus plugin file. When a plugin is activated, WordPress stores a list of active plugins in a database option (plugin-name/plugin-file.php).
If the file name changes, WordPress will look for your powerhouse-blocks/main.php and be unable to find it. This can lead to accidental plugin deactivation, and if another plugin relies on yours, you can get the white screen of death.
Pick a WordPress folder structure that suits you. Just keep in mind, after submission, it’s set in stone.
Conclusion
Within this tutorial, I went over:
How to find inspiration for a plugin’s name.
What not to include in a plugin’s name.
How to check if a plugin’s name is taken.
Some caveats once your slug and plugin is released.
