The present disclosure provides details of a system and method for customizing an inmate communication notification. Such a system provides an inmate different customized notification messages to be played to different called parties. The system includes a list of different contacts, and each of the contacts can be associated with one or more contact numbers. Each contact number is associated with one or more customized notification messages. The customized notification messages include terms, phrases, and sentences that draw the called party's attention and sound familiar to the called party. The customized notification messages include customized text files, audio files, and video files. An inmate chooses one or more customized notification messages to be played to a called party.