Choosing a domain name - should it be this hard?

[danielwerner]

I've been struggling with choosing a good domain name for my site for several MONTHS now. Since 99,999inf% of all really good .com domains are taken I can't go with an obvious one.

So I usually pick one, begin to develop it for a bit, then get really insecure and start to think my domain name is crap. Then I ask around on domainer forums, and they usually agree on it being crap.

So... Do you have any good places to ask for input on a domain name? Or any other suggestions on what to do? What do you usually do when picking a name?

PS. My site is about random cool stuff, like geek stuff and gadgets, etc.

 

[D.T.]

randomgeekstuff.com is available

 

[AlliFlowers]

That's why I went with justanothergeeksite all those years ago. I really need to do something with it...haven't done doodly with it in too long.

 

[iConnected]

...
PS. My site is about random cool stuff, like geek stuff and gadgets, etc.

randomgeekstuff.com is available

As is stuffedrandomgeek.com

D.T.'s suggestion seems better.

Daniel: the first idea looks very good to me. It directly incorporates the essence of how you described your site yourself, when pushed to do so in just a few words.

Ergo, it's the most factually accurate name for your site.

It's also pretty cool

 

[D.T.]

​

As is stuffedrandomgeek.com

Jeebus, I snorted tea out my nose

 

[iConnected]

Jeebus, I snorted tea out my nose

Sorry about that

(teasnorter.com is also available)

 

[danielwerner]

Haha, thanks for your input guys. I think I finally found a domain I quite like (omg!). I'm gonna start a community for people who collect things. Preferably geeky things.

colbase.com alternatively collbase.com (col/coll as in collect/collector/collection)

(colldb.com could be an alternative too)

Which do you like the most? Which makes the most sense for a native english-speaking person? Any other thoughts? I'm not missing some obvious sexual abbreviation or something, am I?

And please refrain from telling me if you simply think it sucks. That'll just gnaw at my head until I think everything's stupid and give up again. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to this.

PS. Sorry for the unintentional advertising. I really just want help with my project.

 

[iConnected]

... Which do you like the most? ...

Of the two, I prefer the second option as links better / more obviously with the words you listed.

Good luck!

 

[Sageworkz]

It shouldn't be....but it is

I've been struggling with choosing a good domain name for my site for several MONTHS now. Since 99,999inf% of all really good .com domains are taken I can't go with an obvious one.

So I usually pick one, begin to develop it for a bit, then get really insecure and start to think my domain name is crap. Then I ask around on domainer forums, and they usually agree on it being crap.

So... Do you have any good places to ask for input on a domain name? Or any other suggestions on what to do? What do you usually do when picking a name?

PS. My site is about random cool stuff, like geek stuff and gadgets, etc.

Hi Daniel,
Many years ago, I was in various bands, and each time I started a new band, we had to go through the agonizing process of choosing a name.
Selecting a domain name reminds me of that process; taking so long to come up with the perfect name.
Here are a few things I've picked up in regards to domain names;
1. In the US anyway (I don't know about other countries) the first thing to do is to check any prospective name with the trademark office. Trademarks trump domain names so if there is already a trademark for your prospective domain, you risk having your domain taken away in the future. (http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/avoid-trademark-infringement-domain-name-29032.html)

2. I wouldn't get too hung up in the name itself and doubting how it sounds. It's really just an address--a way for people to find you. How it sounds and how people feel about the domain will be created by what you do with it. Your domain is basically your brand, and you imbue that with meaning and personality by what you do with it. As an example, 15 years or so ago, when Bell Atlantic and GTE were merging, they created a new word, to use for their domain and brand (Verizon), one which at the time meant nothing to anyone. At that time, there was concern they had chosen the wrong name. However, now it's one of the most well known domains and brands anywhere.
Good luck on the new venture!

 

[ohbrilliance]

Collbase.com looks better to me. Now that you've posted it here I suggest you get it pronto if you're keen on it.

This reminds me of a project I worked on a decade ago. A microsite for Apple of all companies (business-oriented site). We took domain suggestions amongst our team, and one of the guys added a fictional adult site domain name to the list. It was actually a neat domain, and I'm surprised that ten years later it's still available for purchase (not telling what it was, as I may purchase it after another decade).

 

[danielwerner]

Collbase.com looks better to me. Now that you've posted it here I suggest you get it pronto if you're keen on it.

This reminds me of a project I worked on a decade ago. A microsite for Apple of all companies (business-oriented site). We took domain suggestions amongst our team, and one of the guys added a fictional adult site domain name to the list. It was actually a neat domain, and I'm surprised that ten years later it's still available for purchase (not telling what it was, as I may purchase it after another decade).

I've already got it, so no worries there. I just hope I'll - perhaps with your help - still like it after 48 hours.

Thanks for all the input so far.

 

[iConnected]

... when Bell Atlantic and GTE were merging, they created a new word, to use for their domain and brand (Verizon), one which at the time meant nothing to anyone. At that time, there was concern they had chosen the wrong name. However, now it's one of the most well known domains and brands anywhere. .....

In fairness, Verizon's brand only became so well known because they've spent MANY billions of $ on advertising since they created it.

For example, they spent $2.44bn on advertising in 2013 alone! (http://www.businessinsider.com/12-biggest-advertising-spenders-in-2013-2014-6)

Assuming that Daniel doesn't have that kind of marketing budget, I'd definitely lean towards a domain name that is descriptive of his chosen subject area.

 

[Laird Knox]

All your Collbase are belong to us.

<sorry>

All the good domain names disappeared long ago. This is why I make sure JeffKnox.com doesn't fall below five years paid up. In hindsight I would have locked up the Jeff Knox Photography variants as well.

Collbase works. I would go with it and in the mean time if you find something better you can always forward one to the other.

 

[monokakata]

A few years ago, poking around, I was surprised to find that a domain name based on that old engineering saying was available (but with dashes). I'm the owner of

this-should-work.com

and have never used it for a damn thing. I just like having it.

 

[JoelTheSuperior]

Remember, no-one's forcing you at gunpoint to use the .com TLD - there's a ridiculous amount of TLDs out there now so it should be fairly easy to find the domain you want.

Definitely take a look at Gandi - they're where I usually go for domains and if you're willing to be a bit creative you can get very short domain names quite easily.

 

[danielwerner]

It just hit me - Will everyone just think of college baseball if I go with collbase.com? I don't know how big of a deal that is.

 

[davedev100]

I think you would have conflict with college baseball only if there's a similarly named site. And then you'd only get the bad types. Domain names are really only used as short hand now. So no matter how abstracted your domain name, its almost always appearing with other descriptive info. Sometimes its not even shown and hidden in the link. The name itself should be easily typable and memorable because that's about the only use of the name directly.

 

[Kajje]

Reminds me of Hungarian sausage - kolbasz

good stuff.

 

[SpiderDude]

So... Do you have any good places to ask for input on a domain name? Or any other suggestions on what to do? What do you usually do when picking a name?

PS. My site is about random cool stuff, like geek stuff and gadgets, etc.

geekd.com

Geek Daniel or just Geek'd
As in someone who turned into a geek.
It's for sale. Dunno about the price, I just google.
I'm sorry if this is offensive in English. To me it sounds perfectly normal.

Good luck bro

 

[grandM]

I'm having the same problem. It is truly hard to find a .com that is available and isn't taken on twitter etc. Moreover, if you want the name as a brand it only gets more expensive. Now I am thinking about several names but none of them have that aha effect. Lol one of them did but in my native dialect it had a bad meaning = no go. The biggest problem is made by those huge companies buying all the .com names. If only we could all agree never to buy their .com at a price higher than 10 dollars. It would soon be done with this hideous practice.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Reminds me of Hungarian sausage - kolbasz

good stuff.

Hehe, it is really a good stuff, especially the hot Gyulai kolbász.

randomgeekstuff.com is available

It looks the best to me.

Sorry about that

(teasnorter.com is also available)

ROTFLMAO.

_____________________________________

I don't know about the "col/coll/base stuff". I would doubt that anyone will associate it with collecting. (More with e-coli bacteria or colon).