Are there any "Rules of Thumb" for Names?

[Chris_13]

I was just wondering if anyone had any general rules/guidelines they go by for naming your domains. I would think that long domain names would be hard to remember or more difficult to find.

Is using your business and/or product name for your domain a good idea or bad?

My wife has a business she is starting and wants a website but I want something that will stick out or have a name that is going to help the business.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Chris

 

[bobchrist]

Yep, it is good to have shorter and memorable domain name, check with this tools, this may help you to find a good domain name; http://nameboy.com

 

[brianf]

It doesn't hurt to use a product or company name if it's memorable and distinguishable from others. Also, if your domain name is going to be different consider registering the company name and the product name as domain names if they're available so no one else will be able to. If you don't someone else surely will.

 

[AbbieRose]

I do not see how using your business name could be a bad thing, so long as you want to publicise the business online. If you wanted to keep it offline then perhaps you shouldn't use it, but I don't see anything else that could make it a bad idea-unless someone already owns that name of course.

 

[bobchrist]

If it is a popular business name nothing bad to go with.

 

[Chris_13]

Thanks for all of the input. Using the company/business name definitely seems like the way to go. I'll just have to find a variation that works as the name is already in use but other forms of it aren't.

Thanks again.

Chris

 

[shockym]

You can make the domain the same name as the company, which is catchy. You also might want to keep it short and easy to spell. If you have something confusing when you say it to someone, that can end up with them going to someone else's' site and not yours.

 

[Oscar]

I always hate when I go to look up a domain and see that the name I'm looking for is already taken, especially if it's for a specific company or product. It then gets difficult to find a decent domain that works and isn't too confusing to your target audience.

 

[miKael]

Using your business name for a domain is good when your business is promoted enough, if not you will have to invest more into your site promotion.

 

[AbbieRose]

Using the combination of the two also reduces the risk that the name that you want to register will be taken. Obviously, the shorter the name you choose, the more chances there are that it will be taken. So combining the two and hence making it longer would reduce that risk.

 

[purple]

Having them as connected as possible between your company and the site url is probably a good method. People know to go to sites of manufacturers as well as just the product, but unless you get lucky you may not be able to get all those urls. I get the feeling lots of companies these days create the product and name it based on available domains, not the other way around.

 

[Chris_13]

That is a good point. Find the domain before you name the product or even the company if you are starting from scratch. I can see how that could be better than having an existing name and then hoping to find a domain name that isn't taken.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Oscar]

Finding your domain from the beginning is a good idea, as opposed to choosing your name first. It can keep you from having to pull out your hair over not being able to find something compatibile with your already chosen name.

 

[Poormouse]

I never pay attantion on the domain names. That must be related to my project as close as possible + be short + sounds well. And it doesn't mattar if that is vocabulary one. IMO

 

[shaunapple]

Short and sweet is good.