- Jan 09, 2020
0- by A2 Marketing Team
A rose by any other name might smell just as sweet, but without the right domain, your website may not flourish. Domain names play a fundamental role in the way we perceive and remember websites, so you’ll want to pick the perfect one for your own site.
If your domain name is going to be perfect, it needs to be fun, informative, and encapsulate the spirit of your project. If you can get the name right, it will set the tone for the rest of your website, and make it that much more memorable to your audience.
In this article, we’ll walk you through four creative ways you can come up with fun domain names. By the time we’re done, you’ll have plenty domain ideas to pick from, so let’s jump right in!
Why Your Website’s Domain Name Matters
Your site’s domain name is its primary URLs, which visitors will use to reach it. Chances are you type in multiple domain names each day, most of the time on autopilot.
Domain names become associated with the sites they belong to, and can shape the way users think about them. So it’s important that you choose the right name for your own website.
Some sites can get away with names that make no sense (we’re looking at you, Google), but in most cases you’ll want to choose a domain that:
- Gives visitors an idea about your site’s purpose
- Is easy to remember and to type
- Isn’t too long
The process of registering a domain name is simple, and in most cases cheap. However, coming up with the perfect name that’s also available is another matter entirely.
4 Creative Hacks You Can Use to Come Up With Fun Domain Names
Usually, people will tell you to stick with a classic .com domain. Those domains are almost always a safe bet, but that advice doesn’t leave a lot of room for creativity. These days, you have a plenty of options when it comes to domain names, so let’s have a little fun. Here are four ways to construct a more creative and memorable domain.
1. Incorporate Top-Level Domains (TLDs) into Your Name
Top-Level Domains (TLDs) are the suffixes at the end of every domain name. Some of the most common examples include .com, .org, .net, and so on. When most people think about TLDs, their mind goes directly to .com.
As you may know, however, there are literally hundreds of TLD options to pick from. A lot of them are much more unique than you might expect, such as .ninja, .beer, .guru, and even .fun.
Some people shy away from these types of TLDs for fear that they may look unprofessional. However, websites that take a chance and use creative TLDs as part of their names can resonate strongly, especially with younger audiences.
For example, you could use the TLDs mentioned above in combinations such as:
- financial.ninja
- marketplace.beer
- blogging.guru
- arewehaving.fun
They might not look like it, but all of these are valid URLs. All it takes is finding the perfect TLD and looking for fun name combinations you can use alongside it. The best part is that a lot of creative TLDs tend to be a lot cheaper to register, since they’re in less demand.
2. Use Country-Specific TLDs
While we’re on the subject of TLDs, we’d be remiss not to mention another category: country-specific options. Each country has its own TLD. Some examples include:
- .au (Australia)
- .us (United States)
- .uk (United Kingdom)
If you count every country in the world, you have a lot of options to choose from. Some country-specific TLDs require you to be a citizen in order to register the relevant domain name. Others, however, will let anyone register using their country codes without any additional fuss.
Using a country-code TLD lets your audience know where your website is based. It also can help you appear professional, and is a great alternative to classic .com domains.
3. Add Verbs or Adjectives to Your Company Name
One of the biggest challenges when looking for the perfect domain name is that a lot of the best ones are already taken. That’s particularly true for single-word domains. If your preferred domain is a common word, you can be sure that someone’s already sitting on it.
A simple hack to get around that problem is to use word combinations. One effective approach is to add verbs or adjectives to your website’s name, such as:
- getpocket.com
- steampowered.com
The more words you add to your domain name, the better the odds are that it’s not taken. Even so, we recommend that you stick with adding a single word at most, so your domain stays concise and memorable. Moreover, whatever verb or adjective you choose should reflect your site’s content and style, so it lets potential visitors know what to expect.
4. Try Using a Domain Name Generator
If you’ve never used a domain name generator before, you’re missing out. These are simple tools that take keywords and return long lists of word combinations that can be turned into unique domains.
Usually, domain name generators won’t simply hand you the perfect option. After all, they’re simple word combination tools. However, they are fantastic if you need a few ideas to get your creativity going.
For example, if you don’t have any domain name ideas yet, you can start with words that are related to your website’s goal or niche. Type those words into a generator such as Nameboy or Name Mesh:
Then take some time to go over the recommendations. Usually, a single try will yield a couple of promising combinations:
Our recommendation is to try a few different word combinations, keep track of names that sound interesting, and build a list with the best options. Once you have a few starter ideas, coming up with the perfect domain name becomes much more straightforward.
Domain Hack Conclusion
Domain names are more important than you might at first think. If you’re running a business, you wouldn’t just pick the first name that came to mind, and a website is in many ways another type of business. The right name can make it appear more professional and help it stay in people’s minds, so they keep coming back.
Coming up with memorable domain names can be hard, however, which is why we recommend that you use these tips to help you find the perfect one:
- Incorporate TLDs into your name.
- Use country-specific TLDs.
- Add verbs or adjectives to your company name.
- Try using a domain name generator.
Image credit: Pixabay.
