5 ideas for selecting your new domain name

By Alisha Shibli

Let’s say you’ve got the best idea since sliced bread. Now all you need is a perfect name that can represent this idea. The process is certainly not easy.

When coming up with a name for your idea — could be a startup, a personal blog, a product, a rebrand, or just about anything else — it is difficult to determine where to start. Normally when it comes to creating an excellent brand, the first step is to define the brand’s underlying tone and aligning it with your audience and your overall strategic plan.

Why is finding a name so challenging?

Naming has become increasingly competitive and incredibly difficult to do. If you think of a name, chances are it’s taken. If the name is available, its subsequent domain name is not. And if all this works out, there is still the issue of trademarks.

Fret not! Finding a name is difficult, but possible when you use the brainstorming power of the internet. Mentioned below are five of the most lucrative online brainstorming tools and techniques.

1. Open the treasure chest that is a Thesaurus

Begin your online brainstorming on a thesaurus website where you can see a barrage of synonyms and related words. One of the best tools to use is Thesaurus.com. Type in the word and it will give you a number of options to ponder upon.

For example, if you’re opening a frozen yogurt store, you can look up synonyms of ‘frozen’ or ‘cold’ and from the list of options, you can pick one that best suits your brand’s underlying tone.

In this case, how about something along the lines of www.chilledyogurt.store. And, guess what? It’s available too!

2. Rummage through glossaries

Every industry has its own lingo of fun words and phrases. You can find a list of these words online by searching for terms such as “lingo,” “slang,” “jargon,” “dictionaries,” “glossaries,” “terms,” “vernacular,” etc. These are essentially the same words but searching a query in different ways can turn up different search results.

For example, some of the slang words associated with basketball include “wiggle,” “dropping dimes,” “take it to the rack,” etc. So, if you’re a basketball coach or if you’re starting a basketball training camp, your website name could be www.droppingdimes.fun, which by the way, is also available.

3. Get brainstorming with Google

This is similar to brainstorming, except you do it with Google instead of your peers. When searching for a name for your idea, you can search for aspects that are associated with your idea.

Let’s assume you are a history enthusiast and are starting a blog that talks about the biggest blunders of history. Instead of going for something simple as ‘biggest blunders of history’, you can have a domain name such as www.angrygenghiskhan.site. It’s relevant, unique, and it stands out. Also, it is available!

4. Open your playlist

Song titles make for super cool names, and if it is fun then the name can get stuck your the head just like the track. If the song you pick is a classic or one of the top-tens, it might help build a positive association with your users.

For example, if you are a new travel agency, you can consider naming your startup after the song City of Angels by Thirty Seconds to Mars. Not only the name but the domain name is available too.

5. Let photographs inspire you

We’ve all heard the saying “a picture says a thousand words.” Photographs can inspire great names too. Words might not stir your creative side as well as a picture can. Stock photo websites such as Shutterstock and Getty Images are great places to go hunting for inspiration.

For example, if you’re thinking of opening a salon for ladies, you can search for “ladies salon” on these stock photo websites. Most of the images show women who are glowing and smiling which can inspire you to go for a name along the lines of www.glowingfaces.space. It’s available in case you are interested.

Conclusion

There are multiple resources available online to inspire you to choose a kickass name for your startup. To do justice to that name, get the domain name registered on a keyword-rich domain extension such as .TECH, .PRESS, .SITE, etc. Domain names on new domain extensions are not only available but they also help you brand your business right from the first step.

Happy name hunting! Start your domain search.

Alisha is a Content Marketing Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.