If you’re like me, you can be frustrated by the fact that so many dot com domain names seem to be already taken. When I go to register a domain name for a forum, blog, e-commerce or informational web site, I find that my first choice is almost always taken. I’ve come up with a few tricks to not only get your very own dot com domain name, but to get one that is easy to remember.
Use A Spelling Variation
A lot a domain names can be created by a simple spelling variation. For example, say your business is in crafts and you are in the market for a new web site. You go and try to register simplecrafts.com. The registrar comes back and says the domain is not available. Hmmm… what can you do? Why not try simplekrafts.com? (Notice the ‘k’.) A simple spelling change can often lead to the domain name that works for you. And despite what you may think, a domain name doesn’t have to be a combination of actual words. Other examples might be the use of ‘tru’ instead of ‘true’, ‘blu’ instead of ‘blue’ or ‘craftz’ instead of ‘crafts’. I could go on and on… you get the idea.
Use Alliteration
Ahhh, alliteration. I knew my 10th grade high school English class would come in handy. Alliteration is a stylistic device, or literary technique, in which successive words begin with the same consonant sound or letter. Maybe its just me, but a domain name that uses alliteration is always easier to remember. It’s catchy and often used by many marketing firms in their ad campaigns. TastyTacos.com will always be easier to remember than DeliciousTacos.com. Some classic examples include Coca-Cola.com and SesameStreet.com.
Use Rhyming
Rhyming is another technique that is used to make a more memorable domain name. When I was creating my list of possible domain names for this blog, I knew I wanted the domain name to include the word ‘type’. I tried as many combinations of words that began with a “t” to go along with ‘type’ (alliteration, see above), but most of those domain names where already registered. I then decided to check out this site. RhymeZone.com is a very helpful web site that allows you to enter your ‘keyword’ and it returns, you guessed it, all of the words that rhyme. To RhymeZone’s credit, you can also look up synonyms, antonyms, homophones etc.
Use Adjectives & Adverbs
Nothing describes your domain name better than the clever use of adjectives & adverbs. Say you are in the scrap metal business. You might want to ask yourself… what is your biggest seller? Say it is iron. Well, what do people think of when they think of iron? Perhaps rust? Perhaps strength? Or maybe
i-beams? Using various adjectives & adverbs might lead you to try: rustyjunk.com, thejunkheap.com, mightymetals.com, etc. In each case, an adjective is used to describe something (a noun). FTR, it might be a bit harder to incorporate adverbs, but I’m sure it does happen.
Use A Play On Words
Marketing companies often ‘make-up’ words to either describe or name their products. Of course, the same can be done with domain names. What I do is that a keep a list of words that can be added to any domain name. For example, I recently wanted to purchase a domain name for a bicycle forum. Unfortunately, all of the obvious choices were taken. What did I do? I tried bikeaholic.com and biketopia.com. ‘Aholic’ and ‘topia’ are just two simple examples of what can be done. If you come up with any others, let me know… I’d like to add more to my list. 
Use Places or Locations
Just like many of the examples above, the addition of places or locations may help you find your perfect domain name. Instead of Widgets.com, why not try WidgetShop.com, WidgetCorner.com, WidgetWorld.com, WidgetPlace.com, WidgetSite, or WidgetPlanet.com. Create a list of places or locations. Take the focal point of your domain and add combinations of words from your list. See what works for you. The possibilities are truly endless!
Use A Domain Name Builder
There are numerous Internet sites that help users create a domain name. They uses databases of words and phrases to match what you search on. Of course, once you find a domain name, they hope you register the domain name through them. Some of the better ones include http://www.makewords.com and http://www.nameboy.com. I have used them both and like anything that uses a ‘formula’ they work, but only so well. Give them a try though… they are a great place to start.
Use A Domain Name Auction Service
As a last resort, you can always *pay* for a domain name. If that is the case, you might want to try an domain name auction web site or a service that specializes in allowing you to register expiring domain names. Don’t expect instant gratification though, sometimes the transaction can be a long, arduous process (several months). Though, in the end, you may obtain a killer domain name. For a detailed example of what it takes to obtain an expired domain name, read Mike Davidson’s excellent blog entry.
Some of the more popular auction sites are:
- www.snapnames.com
- www.enom.com
- www.pool.com
- www.afternic.com
- www.tdnam.com
- www.sedo.com
Final Notes…
When creating a domain name, keep it short and sweet. I try to keep my domain names less than 12 characters long and never more than 15. Who wants to do all of that typing? Also, don’t forget that a dictionary or a thesaurus are your friend. If you have anything to add, please feel free to leave a comment below.
