Your domain name is the address people type, say out loud and see in every email you send. A few simple checks before you register save you from a rename later.
1. Keep it short and easy to say
Short names are easier to type, remember and fit on a business card. A good test: say the name on the phone. If you have to spell it out, it is too complicated.
2. Skip hyphens and numbers
People hear “my brand”, not “my-brand”. Digits cause the same problem: is it “4” or “four”? Both send visitors and emails to someone else’s domain.
3. Choose the extension that fits
.com is still what most people type first. Tech products often use .io, .dev or .app; personal sites like .me; a country-code extension tells visitors you serve that country. Compare all of them on the price list — with us the renewal costs the same as the registration.
4. Check that you can use the name
A free domain is not automatically a free name. Search the trademark database of your country (in the US, the USPTO trademark search) and check that the social media handles you need are available.
5. Think about variations
If your first choice is taken, a short prefix or suffix often works: get, try, go, hq, app. Our domain name generator checks dozens of variations across several extensions at once.
6. Protect the obvious alternatives
If the name matters to your business, consider registering the most important other extensions and common misspellings too, so nobody else can use them.
7. Register it before someone else does
Domains are first come, first served. When you find a good available name, register it — you can always build the website later.