{"id":80535,"date":"2023-10-26T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-26T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crazyeggblog.wpengine.com\/?p=80535"},"modified":"2026-01-06T15:13:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T23:13:54","slug":"how-to-choose-a-domain-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crazyegg.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-a-domain-name\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Easy Steps to Choose A Domain Name"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Like a physical address, web visitors use your domain name to find your site. However, there\u2019s more to a domain name than pointing to the location of your website. The domain name also serves as your online brand and influences how your customers relate to your business. Therefore, the domain name should be relevant, catchy, and memorable and paint your business in the best light. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluehost<\/a> is our favorite web registrar for its affordable domains, high-quality and affordable shared hosting, and easy setup. Bluehost also provides a domain search tool with recommendations in case your preferred domain name is already taken. Plus, you get a free domain with Bluehost’s web hosting plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crazy Egg\u2019s Favorite Tools For Choosing a Domain Name <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Choosing a domain name and registering it go hand in hand. You may have the perfect idea for a domain name. But it\u2019s not yours until you claim it. We\u2019ve already identified the best domain name registrars for your convenience. These registrars also provide free tools to help you choose a domain name. Below are our Golden Eggs and a snippet of why we love them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluehost<\/a><\/strong> is a top-rated hosting provider and domain registrar with a wide range of services to accommodate the needs of any website. Get a free domain for one year when you bundle domain registration and web hosting from Bluehost<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domain.com<\/a> <\/strong>is a reputable web host that offers transparent pricing and lets you save on domain renewal when you choose longer terms. Get a free SSL certificate and domain for one year with any domain.com hosting plan<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Porkbun<\/strong><\/a> offers a wide range of .com extension alternatives, so you don\u2019t have to replace or tweak your cherished domain if it\u2019s already registered. Signup for Porkbun hosting and enjoy massive discounts for your first year<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Top Domain Registrars <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our top domain registrars offer tools to help you choose the perfect domain name. Usually, the domain name generator produces suggestions based on the keywords you input. Alternatively, the tool might suggest alternative domains or variations if you search for a registered domain. Regardless, these tools tell you if the name is available and let you register it right from the search tool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have compiled a comprehensive post reviewing the Best Domain Registrars<\/a>. We also identified at least one stand-out feature for each top registrar. The format makes it easy to choose a domain registrar that appeals to your specific use case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1 – Get Started With Bluehost<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bluehost has a simple and straightforward domain registration tool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just head to Bluehost’s website<\/a> and enter your desired name to see if it’s available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bluehost will even suggest variations and alternative options if your desired name is unavailable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s free to use, even if you’re not actually ready to buy your domain right this second. You also don\u2019t need to provide information like a name or email address. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re ready to buy, the registration and checkout process is about as straightforward as it gets. Just add the domain to your cart and follow the steps on the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll assume you still need some help coming up with the right domain name. So continue below, and we’ll detail the checkout process later on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2 – Choose a Domain Name Generator <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The easiest way to come up with potential domain names is to use a domain name generator. There are many free options to choose from. However, Looka<\/a> is a reliable tool for several reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, the tool is easy to use. You only need a few keywords that describe your brand. Then, the generator will provide hundreds of domain suggestions and variations to choose from. The domain name generator also suggests names based on abstract ideas or by industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a handy slider, you can also adjust the domain name length. Looka is also free to use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 3 – Choose the Domain Name Length <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Character length is one of the most critical parts of choosing a domain name. While a valid domain can have up to 63 characters, such a domain would be impossible for visitors to remember. So you want a short domain name that people can remember. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most experts agree that a domain name should have fewer than 15-20 characters. Where possible, choose eight characters or fewer. Such a domain is easy to remember, and there are fewer chances of a typo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only thing to note is shorter domain names are mostly unavailable. There are hundreds of millions of registered domain names, so most \u201cgood\u201d domains are already taken. So, an excellent general rule is to keep the domain name fewer than 15 characters instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can adjust the character limit in the domain name generator to ensure you stick with this rule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 4 – Brainstorm Ideas <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, create a list of words that best describe your brand or business. For example, some words that come up when you think of a luxury brand include classic, unique, elegant, quality, tailored, custom, <\/em>and modern. <\/em>Again, come up with as many words as you can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invite other people to collaborate and come up with more terms. You can also use a thesaurus to build on the list of words you\u2019ve picked. Finally, enter different combinations of these words into your domain name generator to find domain ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Also, add your company or brand name to the generator if you have one. You can also use your name for a personal brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, Looka<\/a> is a terrific tool for this step. It suggests different variations of names, such as invented names:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Compound names: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And multi-word names: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Screenshot<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You can enter the suggested names into a spreadsheet. Also, try different combinations of keywords to generate as many ideas as possible. It\u2019s a tedious process. But it ensures that you have an enormous pool to choose from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 5 – Narrow Down Your List <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It helps if you have specific criteria for shortlisting potential domain names. After that, it\u2019s up to you to shortlist the names. First, however, you can follow the domain name best practices to help you narrow down the best options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, the ideal name should be easy to spell after hearing it once. In my example, the words TailoredBuzz<\/em>, <\/em><\/strong>RetroSleek, <\/em>and Unimark <\/em>fit the bill. You also want to ensure that the name is unique and brandable. It doesn\u2019t have to reference your type of business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, you want a domain name that\u2019s easy to type. Typos mean that your visitors are redirected to the wrong website. You can ask your brainstorming partners to spell or type shortlisted domain names to ensure you have the correct names.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, shortlist brandable domain names. Examples of brandable domain names include Google, Amazon, and Apple. This option may mean creating a new word. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That may seem odd at first, but it\u2019s worth it once you successfully build brand recognition. For example, Looka<\/a> suggested Classicalio<\/em> as one of the domain names. It might be a more brandable domain name for a fashion store than a generic domain like theonlinefashionstore.com. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also a good idea to avoid hyphens and numbers. These are confusing and easy to misspell. For example, a visitor may forget to add the hyphen in Retro-Sleek<\/em>. Similarly, they may type RetroToSleek<\/em> instead of Retro2Sleek<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, choose a flexible domain name to ensure your options are open. For example, TheShoeStore may be too specific when you want to venture into other fashion and apparel products.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 6 – Pick The Winning Domain <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You should have a short list of domain names that meet your criteria. Now you can choose the best one. It\u2019s a good idea to let your list stew for a few days in case inspiration strikes. You can also run the list by your brainstorming partners to choose the best domain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also pick two or three domain names you like, just in case your preferred domain extension isn\u2019t available. You can also use an alternative domain name if the relevant social media handles are already taken. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 7 – Choose a Domain Extension <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A domain extension, also called a top-level domain (TLD), is the suffix that follows the domain name. For example, .com <\/strong>is the most popular domain extension. Like a domain name, the domain extension also impacts how visitors perceive your brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The .com <\/strong>extension is famous for several reasons. The extension is immediately recognizable, familiar, reputable, and good for SEO. However, .com <\/strong>extensions are expensive and hard to come by, especially for common domain names. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are alternative generic domain extensions you should consider depending on the nature of your website. Again, the best extension complements your domain name by inferring what your website is about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other terrific alternatives include the following: <\/p>\n\n\n\n