subject: Resources for domain name suggestions [print this page] Resources for domain name suggestions Resources for domain name suggestions
Many people who wish to start a new business or have an idea for a new web site, struggle to find a good available (not already registered by somebody else) domain name. Indeed, it is not uncommon to hear people complain that all the good names are already taken. My experience is that what is really lacking is not available domain names, but imagination and flexibility.
The first thing to realize is that many obvious domain names are indeed taken. By this, I mean for example single word or common short phrase names ending with dot com. It isn't quite true that all such names are already taken, so it is still worth checking.
Therefore, if, as likely, you find your first idea for a domain name is already taken, this does not mean you should give up looking! you have to remember is that a good name is not necessarily the same thing as the most obvious name. In short, the key to find a good domain name is to think laterally and be a bit flexible.
While your brain is of course your most important tool when searching for available domain names, it doesn't hurt to have some automated help as well. There are a number of web sites that allow you to search for domains containing keyword combinations that you supply, or that can generate domain name ideas based on keywords and/or a theme of your choice.
These tips help you to find suitable available domains:
1. Use lateral thinking (and perhaps a thesaurus) to help you search: Just because the most obvious domain name is taken, doesn't mean alternative and potentially equally good names can not be found.
2. Consider using alternate domain endings: Most people want a dot com for branding purposes, but if you are looking for a domain name for the keywords it contains, then a dot net or dot org may be just as good.
3. Use a Domain Name Idea Generator: Basically these are tools where you type in a keyword, and perhaps pick a theme (e.g. "Fast", "Best", "Portal", etc.) and it automatically searches for suitable domain names for you. There are many variations on such tools, available to use free, on the Internet.
