I have learned about so many truly great women from Katie and Olivia. From Frances Perkins to Genghis Khan’s daughters to The Great Sandwina, there are women throughout history who are brought to light and I love knowing who they were!

A well researched podcast marred by the useless cohost who chimes in HMMM or WOAHHHHH every other sentence and literally adds zero other value. Please omit this person it’s so distracting and amateur.

I go back and forth about WhatsHerName. The hosts’ verbal mannerisms always annoy me, but I keep listening to be inspired and educated about forgotten and almost forgotten women. If some of the assumptions and conclusions strike me as questionable, no matter—we can all bring our own critical perspectives along for the ride and have a good think about what we hear. In the end, WHN is well worth my time.

This podcast is like easdropping on two moms trying to keep two distracted american teenager girls interested. It’s so dumbed -down-cutesy about lost feminist histories. This approach rings sour in my ears after the recent election.The histories are so important to reinstate but I need a different tone. I did love the music in Pasha’s episode is so beautiful. But having it play in the background makes it sound like im in a middle eastern restaurant. Do we american women have this kind of courage ? evidently not.

What’sHerName Podcast is an absolute gem! Hosts Olivia Meikle and Dr. Katie Nelson bring history to life by uncovering the fascinating stories of women who have been overlooked or forgotten. Their storytelling is both engaging and insightful, weaving expert interviews into vivid, nuanced biographies that captivate from start to finish. Each episode is a journey into the lives of remarkable women, filled with humor, thought-provoking insights, and a deep respect for historical accuracy. Whether you’re a history buff or just love a good story, What’sHerName is a must-listen. The production quality is top-notch, and the passion of the hosts shines through in every episode. Highly recommend! 🎧✨

I found this podcast a few years ago while looking for stories about powerful women. Katie and Olivia have a way of telling stories about women I would’ve never known existed. As women so often we only hear mens stories, as theirs were the only ones deemed worthy to be remembered historically. Getting to learn about powerful and influential women through such a fantastically researched and presented story telling is amazing!! I always feel so connected to the women who came before me. Thank you Katie and Olivia!

Keep up the great work and don’t listen to the snowflakes….

This is one of the most hateful shows I’ve ever come across. The worst part is, it’s trying to disguise itself as something ‘positive for women’ while spreading vitriol towards the other half of the global population. There straight up is not a single show out there that prides itself on ‘only telling men’s stories’. I agree, history is heavily one sided - but it’s not totally one sided like how you want the world to be. I have no idea how Apple does not remove this for hate, because if that man podcast I mentioned did exist, it would be addressed after episode one. The hosts clearly have an agenda, and it’s not equality, or even to build up women, it’s to tear down men.

This is just the girl power podcast the world needed. I’ve learned so much about so many amazing women in just a few weeks (newbie). Anytime I come across a historical woman I want to learn about I always check to see if WHN has an episode on her. 10/10 would recommend! Also fun to listen while playing civilization 👀

The Seraphine of Senlis episode truly spoke to me. I love this podcast and finally caught up with all episodes. Each episode is eye opening, fascinating and truly informative. Katie and Olivia have a wonderfully enjoyable conversation about each woman featured. I love listening to the sisters and admire both of them and their podcast. I hope they keep up the excellent work.

Maybe they could let the men are evil narrative go. The arrogance these two have just because they’re women is so grating. If they wanted true equality they wouldn’t paint women as saviors and up here on the pedestal, and the way it SHOULD be is crushing men like the peons they are beneath the heel of the mighty woman. My gosh could they tell a story without working some victim angle in? The answer is a resounding no….they cannot.

It’s taken a turn. I used to feel this was such a great podcast for little girls to listen to with me. But the political undertone and attempt to push cross dressing stories takes the woman history out of what made this podcast great. There’s sadly such an agenda here that I had to stop listening. I’m so sad because I adored listening to fun or empowering stories for my girls. We used to listen on long road trips. I’m hopeful there is another inspiring podcast out there since this seems to have turned into an adult content podcast not focused on women’s empowering stories or inspiring girls to be amazing women. If you listen to the older episodes I think you’ll enjoy a lot of the stories. So sad it has changed.

I would rate this podcast higher, much higher, if they gave Trigger Warnings!!!!!! And do so @ the beginning of the episode!!!

I just finished listening to The Discovery of Naia. This story touched me more than I expected it would, and then I couldn’t help tearing up at the end when I heard the poem. I laughed when Katie talked about game shows in the 90s. I made connections with Olivia as she deciphered the clues. I felt compassion for Naia as I learned about how hard life must have been for her. And I was completely intrigued at how much we could learn about her based on her bones, teeth, and facial structure. Her story is both a mystery and familiar at the same time.

Katie and Olivia are amazing researchers and podcasters, but even more than that, they are fantastic about putting these amazing women into a context that listeners can relate to! Thanks for hosting a great show!

When I first turned on What’sHerName like 3 or 4 years ago, I wasn’t very into learning about history that didn’t have to do with myths, legends, etc. (Greek religion, for example). But that’s not the kind of history people NEED to be aware of. The history Katie, Olivia and the experts they interview share with us is history EVERYONE should know, and the way they present it makes it something I love to consume. I also really enjoy the knowledgeable and thoughtful commentary and analysis Katie and Olivia provide. They find things that tie into present day (history repeats, after all) and make sure their listeners understand why the women they talk about matter, and why what they did matters. I highly recommend this podcast to everyone, whether you think history is your thing or not.

I’m not a huge podcast person but I’ve listened to every episode of What’sHerName. Each episode is a fascinating look at a person and time from a new perspective. The hosts do an amazing job of providing background on the time period for us non-history majors while still keeping focus on the stories of each of these amazing women. I also love that they bring in guests that are highly educated on the topics and provide the opportunity for listeners to dive deeper into the person and subject being discussed with links to books, tours, etc. Anyone that appreciates the power of women and the magic of stories will love this podcast!

I love this podcast! This show has changed how I view the world around me, which I guess is really the point. Thank you Olivia and Katie!

I’ve listened to every episode of this delightful podcast and have absolutely LOVED it. The hosts are fun, insightful and sincere. A rare combination. They do a wonderful job of covering a diverse set of women from all over the world. The guest are amazing too! Since they typically specialize in the topic they are discussing, they come across as interesting and passionate. Please keep going ladies! I’m always eagerly waiting for more!!

I mean, it is only 0.025 percent of humanity.. obviously two Christian women cannot be arsed to bother thinking about it more than once. Its not a bias! Its not a sign of any internalized Jew-hate that they've gone to the most antisemitic countries for A LARGE NUMBER of their stories, but only bothered once with Judea and never looked into Israel or diaspora Jewish women. EVEN MORE TELLING, their only episode (63) on a Jewish woman is an interview with a Christian Minister, about a Christian Fiction book. Clearly, no actually Jewish scholars were available.

Eilley Bowers! I loved listening to this episode because I grew up in Washoe Valley and have heard so much info but never of this detail! Great job!

This episode was a disaster for me because if you are going to blatantly state that you understand that a person identifies as a man or went by male terms, then why in the world would you use she in the beginning. James Barry would not have been known to be a woman if ethical practices were respected. It is shameful to use this platform as a way to say that it’s okay to misgender someone just because feminism and history. To say phrases like “living a lie” is awful and I hope you understand how damaging using such terminology can be.

Also, the sound is really bad in some of the interviews. I wanted to like this podcast but it isn't for me.

Really love this podcast. It’s so great to hear about all of these amazing women and to have their lives and experiences brought of to the forefront. Because of this podcast, my to be read pile just keeps getting larger. Keep finding fascinating women to talk about!

I have been listening for just a short while and love your work and the stories you choose tell. I feel so empowered by the stories of these women who were driven to live and work to their greatest potential for something meaningful. Each episode makes me think of a young person in my life who would enjoy and could benefit from the story. I recommend them to your podcast. Thank you for what you do.

Learning about these forgotten and overlooked women is the best. I’m so grateful my knowledge has been expanded.

The information in this podcast is informative and interesting I’ve learned a lot. However the constant “wows!”, “hmmms” and other sound effects made by the other person is distracting and doesn’t move the information along. Laughing at inappropriate times also doesn’t help. It would be more beneficial to listeners if that person would ask questions to help clarify information.

We are midwestern feminists/activists who are totally impressed with the stories that you are telling us! We have not listened to all episodes but will certainly do so. Thank you so much for doing this! How can we financially support the podcast? Went to the website but did not find a link for that.

I cannot lie, I’ve been on a slightly obsessive listening spree trying to finish every episode. I love it! Great storytelling and an absolute treat for the brain.

I love the premise of the podcast and started listening to the episode on Titchuba. The content was interesting and the historian was great, but the dialogue between the hosts was distracting and more abrasive than helpful. I also though it was jarring that the hosts were giggling while discussing the hundreds of people that died. It can be good to be lighthearted about history, but in context, with such a tragic story, it felt tone deaf. Sensitive story needs sensitive hosts.

This is the perfect podcast to listen to while studying! If you are like me and need some sort of music or controlled background noise while studying/working, this is the perfect podcast for that! It isn’t to distracting where I become un-focused, but is engaging enough to make me feel productive! You should definitely give this a try!

Ranked #1 on Good Morning America's Website for "Podcasts you should be listening to" during Women's History Month! No wonder! The production value engineered by these two engaging professors (sisters) is National Public Radio quality! LOVE IT!

I just discovered this podcast yesterday. Someone on Facebook comment on James Davis with the link to podcast about her/him and I haven’t stop listening since! I love it. I listen about one lady and can’t wait to hear about the next. Well produced and entertaining. Well done ladies!

I recently found this podcast in my recommended on Spotify. I absolutely love it. I’ve started from the beginning and just finish hearing about Margaret Cavendish. My only critique is likely not at the fault of the wonderful ladies who host the podcast. I prefer listening to podcasts on the apple podcasts app on my phone. For some reason it is impossible to find the podcast through the search bar. Maybe it’s because the podcast is all one word? I don’t know. I’ve tried multiple ways. I was only able to find it in apple podcasts by going to their website and finding a link. It was worth the small inconvenience.

I'm ashamed I haven't written a review until now because this is the best podcast I've ever listened to. If you love history, feminism, and learning from people who are experts in their field - this podcast is for you! Katie & Olivia bring wonderful stories, music, and humor to each episode. And I always learn a TON! I can't recommend WHN podcast enough!!

I love this podcast but I wish it didn’t have the distracting music.

This podcast is amazing. It is beautifully produced and the stories are just astounding. I love how Katie & Olivia talk to experts and bring in music, speakers, and other elements to really take you into the setting/history. I can't recommend it enough.

I just caught up to the current episode, so I figured it was finally time to write a review. I love this podcast! It has been such a great way to be informed and inspired by women’s stories. I love that it covers women from across many eras and cultures, with a nuanced view into their lives and legacies. Katie and Olivia do a great job of presenting the stories in a way that doesn’t shy away from the complicated, often messy ways that the women lived, which I think is so refreshing — most people are not strictly hero or villain. The early episodes have some audio quirks (as one would expect from new podcasters), but nothing that takes away from the content. I find myself frequently thinking about and sharing things I have learned from this podcast. If you enjoy history and women’s stories, you’ll love this podcast.

Really awesome podcast! As someone just getting into history this is a fantastic way to hear awesome stories across different cultures and time periods.

Women’s history. Brilliant hosts. Wonderful presentation. If I could give it 6 stars, I would.

This is the best history podcast on here, by far! I have searched high and low for podcasts specially on women and no one even comes close to this one. They are super informative and fun without taking an eternity to get to the good stuff. I’ve listened to almost every single one and am super sad that I won’t be able to binge listen anymore. Keep up the amazing work!

I have listened to every episode after coming across their podcast. Each story is unique, from the ancient world to recent (in historic terms). Although these stories are educational, it is not like reading a text book. With the use of historians, teachers, experts, as well as natives from where the story takes place, there is a variety in voices heard and it add a dynamic to the podcast that would be lost without it. Although there is the fair share of heroic women fighting battles, they include stories of women who became heroes on a much smaller scale. All the stories are inspirational, and if you close your eyes while listening, it’s almost like you’re there. I rave about this podcast and 100% recommend it to anyone who is interested in history, female empowerment, or just a good story.

I stumbled on this podcast some time ago. I had downloaded an episode out of curiosity, but forgot about it. At the start of quarantine, I was out of podcasts and needed something to listen to. Queue these two lovely ladies. They tell these women’s stories so well. Their interviews are thorough and thought provoking. They bring historical and situational context into the story, so you as the listener can better understand the women you’re learning about. Basically, this isn’t some boring lecture you had to take your freshman year of college.

The only bad part about this podcast is how many times i stalker-ishly check for see, for whatever reason, if they uploaded an episode early. 😂😂 soo good!

Since graduating from college, I haven’t been all that interested in self-driven learning. Recently though, I’ve rediscovered my love of history and have been really motivated to seek out new ways of learning (thanks, Quarantine!). I just found this podcast and have been loving it. Not only does is approach history in a compelling and approachable way, but it also touches on areas of history that I knew little about because we never covered it in school. The guests are fantastic and the overall production of the episodes is wonderful too. Keep up the awesome work!

So glad I gave this podcast a chance. This is NPR-quality, but with the charm of a conversation with your most interesting friend or favorite professor. It's my favorite kind of podcast...people doing serious and important work, but sounding like they are having so much fun doing it. Then they add music and amazing guests for the best kind of story-telling. I LOVE IT!!

I liked the idea of finding lost women of history but found the hosts to be very amateur historians and continually misrepresenting the past or focusing on some “oh my gosh I can’t believe it used to be like that” kind of ethnocentric dribble. Most of the women they talk about can be found on BBC history presented by real historians.

The level of research and detail that goes into producing this podcast is truly delightful. Especially noteworthy are the range of time periods and roles that the featured historical figures are from, from ordinary women like The Woman in the Chalk to empresses like Nur Jehan. More and more during social distancing I’ve been relying on podcasts to get a sense of company with people and the warm rapport that these two sisters have is a delightful way of provoking thought into how we see, write and teach history. History fans of any stripe will love this.

I've only listened to two episodes so far, but I am blown away! It's so well done, entertaining and mind-expanding.

I want to love this podcast. The information is great and interesting but the background music is EXTREMELY distracting as are the comments from the other host (the ums, hmms, wows, whatever). I’m going to try to stick with this but please tone down and lower the volume on all the other distracting sounds.