Best Practices for Naming Photos

Giving your photos meaningful names makes it easier to manage your uploads, spot duplicates, and quickly understand who or what is in each image, even when faces aren’t fully identified.

Name Every Photo

While the system doesn’t require a name for each photo, we strongly recommend it.

Photos with names are easier to:

• Reference later

• Compare when reviewing matches

• Sort in your photo boxes

• Share meaningfully with other users (when matched)

What to Include

Use names that help you quickly identify the photo’s content. You might include:

• Who’s in the photo

• Where it was taken

• When it was taken (exact or approximate)

• The occasion or context

Examples:

• Mathilda and Sisters – Indiana 1895

• Unknown soldier, Civil War era

• Wedding Portrait – Possibly 1940s, Grandma's side

Avoid Generic Names

Try not to use vague or repetitive names like:

• Photo 1

• Old Picture

• Unknown

These don’t help you later, especially once you’ve uploaded dozens or hundreds of images.

Pro Tip: Use a Guess If You Have One

It’s okay to be uncertain, names like:

• Maybe Charles Foreman

• Likely Grandma Smith

• Uncle’s barn, guessing late 1930s

…are still helpful when tracking down identities and prompting matches.

🖼️ Screenshot Suggestion

Show:

• A photo name being edited

• Good vs vague name examples in a photo grid

• A match card with the photo name visible