Have a great idea for a new website but don’t know which domain name to grab for it? First, you’ll need some web hosting to put your site on the web.
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Once your web hosting is settled, you’ll need a domain name—one that’s simple, easy to remember, and great for branding. Good domain names are also unique and descriptive. So, how do you go about landing a great domain name for your site?
How to Find a Great Domain Name
The right domain name is critical for search engine optimization (SEO). An SEO-friendly domain name is the first green light for high website traffic.
Let’s start by brainstorming on paper. But if your brain is not shifting gears, there are a host of domain finders that can help to crank it up. I am not suggesting that you rely on them, but domain name generators take your keywords and can come up with unique word combinations that you wouldn’t have thought about. A lot of them also allow you to look up available domain names using domain name registrars.
A single domain name search website can give you lots of word combinations to play around with. Let me give you a few more to help you find an available website name you need right now.
1. Dofo
Use this free domain name search tool to filter through 350 million registered domain names. Find more information on each like its creation and expiration dates. If you need more hints, just follow the latest trends and top keywords in domain names right now. The search also supports internationalized domain names in other languages.
Dofo helps you search more than 40 million domains for sale and register the right one with one of its domain registration partners. You can also follow specific domain names and check for an update that might benefit you.
2. Dictionary Domains
Dictionary Domains is what it says on the label. It seeks out dictionary word that still might be available as a domain name. You can passively get new domain names sent to your inbox. The domain search result words are listed by their frequency.
If you aren’t fixated on top-level domain name extensions like .com, then the chances of finding a dictionary word domain name are high. A set of filters help to narrow your choices by domain extension, word length, and choice of plural words.
3. Short Domain Search
This free domain name search tool is also similar to a dictionary word domain name search. It finds short, available single-word domain names which you can then instantly register through the four domain name registrar sites.
Try the filters next to the search box. Also, try the advanced tool that splits your keywords into top-level domain extensions like .re and .am.
4. Nameboy
Nameboy is a popular domain name search tool that bases its results on a primary word and a secondary word. Nameboy says that its intelligent engine creates name variations from the sound and meaning of the keyword. You can use Nameboy as a business name generator, website name generator, company name generator, and URL generator.
It is affiliated to BlueHost, but you can use it for a simple domain name search even if you go with a different web host provider. That said, MakeUseOf readers can get a significant discount on BlueHost web hosting plans if you sign up using this link!
5. Namestation
Namestation comes with a slick interface. With just a few clicks you can enter your suggested keywords and combine them with prefixes and suffixes. Set a minimum and maximum word length and get your domain name results. The application also lets you combine keywords with hundreds of categorized wordlists for a search engine friendly domain name.
Namestation also hosts contests that can be used to get a crowdsourced name for your upcoming website.
6. 123finder.com
123finder gives you four ways to discover the right domain name for your site. The applications are self-explanatory—Simple Domain Search, Advanced Domain Search, Instant Domain Search, and Keywords from URL. The Keywords from URL tool extracts registered and available domain names from a given URL.
Want to restrict your new domain name to a specific number of characters? You can use a keyword and filter through names with one of the unique tools on the site.
7. Domize
Domize has a Power Search feature which can use a comma-separated list of words, letters, or numbers to search for several domain names in one go. A special function also lists out synonyms or derivatives of a supplied word based on a misspelling. Other functions include listing out words that rhyme with the one you enter.
In short, the Power Search results give you many options to play around with a word and whatever domain name can be derived from it.
8. Wordoid
Wordoid has a unique way of generating a catchy domain or business name idea. Firstly, it can make up words that sound natural, almost natural or hardly natural. Secondly, it can do that in five languages: English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.
You can set up patterns that force Wordoid to generate words starting or ending with certain letters. You can also optionally put your own word somewhere in the Wordoid and limit the unique name to a set number of characters.
9. Lean Domain Search
Lean Domain Search is a fast domain finder for your new site or a new Twitter handle. It pairs your keywords with other words or phrases to come up with novel results. which are still available to register. The results are restricted to the .com top-level domain.
The site says that 95% of the domain names displayed should be still unclaimed. You can sort the results alphabetically, by length, or by popularity.
10. Domainr
Domainr’s speed could surprise you. It takes milliseconds to check if a domain name is available or taken. And when you just had a brilliant idea, each second matters. The fast domain finder lists available website names and those that have been taken along with relevant info from ICANN’s WHOIS lookup.
Domainr has apps for iOS and Android, a Chrome extension, and bots for Facebook Messenger and Slack.
More Ways to Find Available Domain Names
Put a free domain name search tool to work and find available website names. It’s not as easy as that. All the good ones seem to have been taken and the ones that are left might not fit your site or brand like a glove. You can try to buy it, but that might pinch.
An alternative is to brainstorm and prefix your desired name with a verb or another word. If you have time on your hands, consider tracking and buying an expired domain name you can work with.
Image Credit: maxxyustas/Depositphotos
Read the full article: 10 Effective Domain Name Search Tools and Domain Finders
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