How to Fix Names in Automatic Subtitles

Automatic transcription often swaps a common name for a more familiar word. It can also spell a business name the way it sounds. To fix this, prepare a short list of the correct names before you start checking, then correct each one in the transcript. This matters most for people, places and products that appear several times in the video.

Start with a list of correct names

Before you open the transcript, write down the names that should appear in the video. Keep the list short and exact. Include the spelling you want viewers to read, not just the way it sounds.

• Full names of people who speak or are mentioned - Company and brand names, written exactly as the business writes them - Place names, including streets and towns - Product names and model numbers - Job titles that are easy to confuse with common words - Words from other languages that appear in the video A list takes a few minutes. It saves you from guessing later, when the same wrong word appears in five different places.

Find every occurrence, not just the first one

Fixing the first subtitle is not enough if the same word appears again. Go through the whole transcript, or use search if the tool offers it. Check inflected forms too. A correct base form may not fit every sentence.

For example, a project name may stand alone in one sentence and follow a preposition in the next. Do not replace every similar string without checking the context. You can accidentally change a different word that happens to look the same.

Read each line around the name before you change it. If the sentence still makes sense after the correction, move on. If it does not, look more closely at what the speaker actually said.

Check the text in the finished picture

A longer corrected name can change how the subtitle wraps. After editing, check not only the spelling but also the line length and how long the text stays on screen. For an unusual name, give the viewer enough time to read it.

Short lines are easier to read on a phone. If a corrected name pushes a line too wide, split the subtitle into two shorter lines. Keep the name together on one line when you can.

If you are unsure about a person's name, ask them or use a verified source. Subtitles should not hide uncertainty behind a confident guess. A correct name is a small detail that strongly affects how trustworthy the whole video feels.

A short checklist before you publish

• Compare every name in the transcript with your prepared list - Search for each name and fix all occurrences - Check inflected forms in the sentences where they appear - Read the surrounding words to avoid changing the wrong term - Look at the finished video and check line breaks - Make sure unusual names stay on screen long enough to read - Confirm names of people with a reliable source when in doubt - Watch the video once from start to finish without pausing This routine works for any language the tool supports.

What to do when the name is still wrong

Sometimes the transcript is correct but the name is simply hard to hear. In that case, say the name clearly in the video, or add it as on-screen text. A viewer who sees the name written once will connect it to the spoken version.

If a name appears only once and is not important, you can leave it. Focus your time on names that repeat, names in the opening line, and names that carry the main message. Those are the ones viewers notice.

Keep your list of correct names for next time. If you film several videos for the same business, the same names will come back. A saved list turns a slow correction into a quick check.

Fix names, then finish the video

Once the names are right, the rest of the edit is easier. In Relsko, upload your own phone clips and photos. The assistant asks at most a couple of questions and proposes three concepts. Pick one, and Relsko prepares three cut variants of that concept. Download the one you like. Animated captions are available in beta, and the interface, assistant, speech transcription and in-video text work in 16 languages. You can register for 30 days of full access without a card.