4 ms·

Imo, if you're serious about your project (i.e. you want to start a biz, not just run a side project), then you want: - .com domain name (buy also others, but

by ecesena 11y ago

Imo, if you're serious about your project (i.e. you want to start a biz, not just run a side project), then you want: - .com domain name (buy also others, but you need the .com) - name clearly understandable, possibly even by non-native speaker - name without strange plays on words that you only understand - name without any subtle replacement/elision of letters - name that doesn't start with an article (e.g., the) - name that you can pronounce very clearly In short, any random person that you meet, should be able to get and remember your name and find the related .com domain. The easiest way is usually to combine 2 words, or a word and a number. In the 2 words case, your domain name will also be your product name, I assume. Don't try to write it in any strange way. Your name will be ProductName, or Product Name, available at productname.com. Any other attempt is a waste of your time, and everybody will misspell it.

larrys 11y ago
"or a word and a number" If you get a word and a number remember you need both "nametwenty.com" as well as "name20.com"
- ecesena 11y ago
  Agreed! But if you have a number, make the spelling with the number your primary choice... I'd never type nametwenty honestly.
davemel37 11y ago
It really depends on your traffic strategy/how people will find your website. If it will rely on word of mouth, it needs to be easily remembered and spelled. If it will rely on referral traffic and other online links it should be descriptive and trustworthy (I.e no hyphens and not too generic.) If it will rely on PR and offline ads, it should be brandable (I.e. a blank slate that means nothing but is pronounceable, memorable and easy to spell. The most important thing is to not fall in love with a name before owning the dot com...otherwise you will end up overpaying for something with no real value.
- ecesena 11y ago
  Well, I agree on your last point, but not really on all others. Independently on your strategy, you'll go to events, you'll meet people, you'll hopefully have press or in general other people referring your project/biz. My "rules" come from my experience of being an Italian -i.e. not mother tongue- in San Francisco, with a company called Theneeds, that originally we wanted to write as "theneeds" all lower case. Plus, I have a countless list of examples of sites/projects I couldn't find because of absurd name choices.
  - davemel37 11y ago
    Those would all fit under the first point of relying on word of mouth.
M8 11y ago
- name clearly understandable, possibly even by non-native speaker palantir.com - name that doesn't start with an article (e.g., the) theverge.com - name without any subtle replacement/elision of letters svbtle.com google.com
- ecesena 11y ago
  What does this prove? That these people didn't have issues with their names? Palantir I don't get it - it seems absolutely easy to pronounce/get the right spell to me. theverge, I'd be happy to know how easy is to write marketing copies for them (as I said, I've the-theneeds' experience -- feel also free to look at our press page to see how many people spelled us "theneeds" lowercase --none--, till the point where we decided to rewrite it "Theneeds"). Finally, I wonder how many people go to subtle.com wasting their time, or how often people have to say "I just knew this awesome site, subtle, with a v" - "a v what/where?" "let me spell it, s-v-b-t-l-e". My recommendations are not a must, they just come from my experience -- don't waste time and don't make it hard to people to remember and use your name.

by ecesena 11y ago

larrys 11y ago

"or a word and a number" If you get a word and a number remember you need both "nametwenty.com" as well as "name20.com"

ecesena 11y ago
Agreed! But if you have a number, make the spelling with the number your primary choice... I'd never type nametwenty honestly.

davemel37 11y ago

It really depends on your traffic strategy/how people will find your website. If it will rely on word of mouth, it needs to be easily remembered and spelled. If it will rely on referral traffic and other online links it should be descriptive and trustworthy (I.e no hyphens and not too generic.) If it will rely on PR and offline ads, it should be brandable (I.e. a blank slate that means nothing but is pronounceable, memorable and easy to spell. The most important thing is to not fall in love with a name before owning the dot com...otherwise you will end up overpaying for something with no real value.

ecesena 11y ago
Well, I agree on your last point, but not really on all others. Independently on your strategy, you'll go to events, you'll meet people, you'll hopefully have press or in general other people referring your project/biz. My "rules" come from my experience of being an Italian -i.e. not mother tongue- in San Francisco, with a company called Theneeds, that originally we wanted to write as "theneeds" all lower case. Plus, I have a countless list of examples of sites/projects I couldn't find because of absurd name choices.
- davemel37 11y ago
  Those would all fit under the first point of relying on word of mouth.

M8 11y ago

- name clearly understandable, possibly even by non-native speaker palantir.com - name that doesn't start with an article (e.g., the) theverge.com - name without any subtle replacement/elision of letters svbtle.com google.com

ecesena 11y ago
What does this prove? That these people didn't have issues with their names? Palantir I don't get it - it seems absolutely easy to pronounce/get the right spell to me. theverge, I'd be happy to know how easy is to write marketing copies for them (as I said, I've the-theneeds' experience -- feel also free to look at our press page to see how many people spelled us "theneeds" lowercase --none--, till the point where we decided to rewrite it "Theneeds"). Finally, I wonder how many people go to subtle.com wasting their time, or how often people have to say "I just knew this awesome site, subtle, with a v" - "a v what/where?" "let me spell it, s-v-b-t-l-e". My recommendations are not a must, they just come from my experience -- don't waste time and don't make it hard to people to remember and use your name.