How to Choose Your First Domain Name

## How to Choose Your First Domain Name Choosing a domain name feels deceptively simple — type a name, click search, register if available. But the name you choose will represent your brand, shape your SEO, appear on every business card and email, and become harder to change as your site grows. Getting it right from the start is worth extra thought. ## Start With Your Purpose Before thinking about specific names, clarify what your domain needs to achieve: **Personal blog or portfolio?** Your name (or a variation) is usually best. `janedoe.com` or `janed.design` tells visitors who you are immediately. **Small business?** Your business name should be the domain if possible. **Web app or SaaS product?** Product name is the priority. Both descriptive names (`invoicehero.com`) and invented brand names (`stripe.com`) work. **Content site or niche blog?** A keyword-rich name can help with SEO (`bestcoffeegrinders.com`), but so can a distinctive brand name (`wirecutter.com`). ## The Five Qualities of a Great Domain Name ### 1. Short Aim for **under 15 characters** in the SLD (Second-Level Domain). Single words are ideal. Two words usually work. Three or more start causing problems — harder to type, harder to remember, more likely to be mistyped. ### 2. Memorable Test memorability: say your name to someone and ask them to type it an hour later. If they get it right, it passes. Memorable names are pronounceable, distinctive, and meaningful. ### 3. Easy to Spell The domain you say out loud should be what people type. Common spelling traps: unusual spellings (`lyfe` instead of `life`), homophones, silent letters. If you find yourself saying "it's like X but spelled Y," reconsider. ### 4. Brandable A brandable name has personality. Compare: - Generic: `buycheapwatches.com` - Brandable: `timex.com` Invented words (Google, Spotify) can be powerfully distinctive once established. Combined words (Facebook, Shopify) balance memorability and meaning. ### 5. Future-Proof Avoid names that limit you as you grow: - Too narrow: `portlandcoffeeshop.com` (what about a second location?) - Too trendy: Names based on current slang may date quickly - Based on someone else's trademark: Legal trouble later is not worth a catchy name now ## Choosing the Right TLD The TLD (Top-Level Domain) you choose sends a signal to visitors. **Go with `.com` if you can.** When people hear a domain name, they mentally append `.com` automatically. If `.com` is taken or unaffordable: - Reframe: add a word (`getmyapp.com`, `trymyproduct.com`, `hellocompanyname.com`) - Consider `.co` — short, widely recognized, professional - Consider `.io` — established in tech and startup world - Consider `.app` or `.dev` for web/mobile apps - Consider your country's ccTLD (Country-Code Top-Level Domain) if targeting a local audience Use TLD Finder to check availability across dozens of extensions simultaneously, which can inspire new name ideas. ## Brainstorming Name Ideas **Start with descriptive words:** Write down 10-20 words related to your product, service, audience, or values. Combine pairs. Check availability. **Use a name generator:** Domain Name Generator can spark ideas by combining your keywords in unexpected ways. **Try working backwards from available domains:** Search your preferred name, then adjust based on what is available. **Check for conflicts:** Before falling in love with a name, search the USPTO trademark database and Google for existing businesses using it. ## Red Flags: Names to Avoid **Hyphens:** `best-coffee-shop.com` is almost always worse than `bestcoffeeshop.com`. Hyphens are invisible in verbal communication and get dropped from memory. **Numbers:** `web2marketing.com` creates confusion — is that the number 2 or the word "to"? **Trademarked names:** Using a famous brand name in your domain risks legal action. Do not register `nikestore.com` or similar. **Misspellings of famous brands:** Typosquatting is illegal under the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act in the U.S. and similar laws elsewhere. **Too similar to a competitor:** Will confuse users and may invite legal challenge. Read 10 Common Domain Name Mistakes to Avoid for a full breakdown of errors to avoid. ## Before You Register: A Checklist Run through Domain Registration Checklist before clicking buy: 1. **Say it out loud** — Is it clear how to spell it from hearing it? 2. **Google it** — Is there an existing business with this name? 3. **Check trademarks** — Search USPTO or your country's equivalent. 4. **Check social media** — Is the handle available on platforms you care about? 5. **Verify the TLD** — Are you registering `.com` or something else? Double-check. 6. **Check WHOIS history** — Was this domain previously used for spam? 7. **Consider registering variations** — Common misspellings or alternative TLDs for brand protection. ## Setting Realistic Expectations You will rarely find the perfect domain on your first try. This is normal. Most successful websites do not have objectively "perfect" names — they built the brand around whatever they could get. What matters most is the product and content behind the name. ## Key Takeaways - A great domain name is short, memorable, easy to spell, brandable, and future-proof. - Try `.com` first; fall back to `.co`, `.io`, `.app`, or a relevant ccTLD (Country-Code Top-Level Domain) or new gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain). - Avoid hyphens, numbers, trademarked names, and overly generic descriptions. - Use Domain Name Generator to brainstorm, and TLD Finder to check availability. - Verify the name is clear, trademark-free, and historically clean before registering. Once you have chosen a name, read How to Register a Domain Name: Step-by-Step to complete the registration process step by step.