Updated: May, 20th, 2024

Is Your Business Name AVAILABLE as a Domain Name?

Do you have a business idea or thinking about starting a business?  One of the first things you may think about is… “What name do I use for my business?” I am talking about your domain name.

This is where the fun begins. Have fun, but be serious about choosing your business name. Consult with friends and family and choose more than one name.

Invite your friends over for a “NAME my BUSINESS” Party! Yep, have a BBQ/Dinner Party! Most people love any excuse for a get-together and to be a part of something  NEW!

• Something Clever?

• Something Cute?

• Catchy and Rhymes?

Have you noticed that more and more websites are using people’s names as their brand? Imagine having a website with your very own name! It’s a really cool idea and becoming quite popular.

There are many websites out there with personal names, and they’re doing great! Using your own name can make your brand unique and memorable.

If you decide to go “ALL out” with your very own name, getting help from a branding identity consultant is a good idea. I highly recommend Rachel Durham with “Your Brand Therapy” if you’re looking for a top-notch branding consultant. Click here to visit her website. She did an amazing job with my client’s, JacquelineMKane.com, website branding. I personally used Meilani MacDonald as my branding consultant  12 years ago, and her rates are reasonable!  You can message her on her Facebook page.

While you’re out there researching your business domain name, why not check if your child’s domain name is available?

In a world where your online identity is becoming as important as your physical one (maybe even more so), registering your child’s domain name is a very good idea. The trend of registering your child’s firstnamelastname.com is continuing to grow with tech-savvy parents; it’s not uncommon for parents in Silicon Valley to pick names for their children only if the corresponding domain is available. I’ve compiled a list of reasons why buying your kid a domain may be worthwhile.

1. Future-Proofing: By securing your child’s domain name now, you ensure it’s available for them when needed. Imagine how useful it will be for college applications, resumes, or personal projects.
2. Online Presence: Having a domain name helps establish a strong online presence early on. It’s like giving your child a piece of online real estate.
3. Professionalism: As your child grows up, having a personal domain can make them stand out in their professional life. It shows they have a polished and professional digital footprint.
4. Family Legacy: A domain can be a great way to share family stories, photos, and achievements. It can become a digital scrapbook that grows with your child.

So, while little Laura Rose might not be able to spell “Internet” just yet, buying her a domain name could be one of the best investments for her future.

A domain name is an asset

There’s a reason Angelina Jolie bought all of her kids’ domain names when they were born. You may not think your child will become famous enough to warrant their own website, but whether or not your child is the next Adele, everyone can benefit from having their own domain name. Whether your child uses the domain to display a professional portfolio, resume, or even a blog, the value will far exceed the $15 per year to maintain the domain. You can even pay $150 to secure it for 10 years in advance, which is often the limit!

Protect their (future) identity

With the domain industry expanding rapidly (tens of thousands of domains being registered daily), it’s important to secure your child’s online identity now before someone else grabs it. This protects their name from being used in ways you wouldn’t want. It may even be worthwhile to purchase your TLD (Top Level Domain like .ca, .us, .fr, .asia, etc.) alongside the .com domain, although I personally don’t think it’s necessary to go to that extreme. Registering nicknames is also an option. A personal website will allow your child to build a personal and/or professional identity as they grow.

Whether you have kids or are expecting, securing some web real estate is a valuable investment that will pay off in the long run. The low cost of a domain means you can affordably secure your child’s online future. With the domain industry expanding rapidly and tens of thousands of domains being registered daily, the demand for unique domain names is growing. Investing in a domain name now ensures that your child will have a valuable and personalized online identity in the future, which can be used for professional portfolios, resumes, or personal blogs​ (GoDaddy)​​ (Namer)​.

Register your domain sooner rather than later

Entrepreneurs today have it much harder. With more than 356.6 million domain names already registered​ (Verisign Blog)​, you’d be really lucky if the dot-com URL that matches your new business name is readily available. (Not to mention exact matches for your social media names.)

As December 2018, 342.4 million Domains registered (verified by verisign.com) since 2013 when this blog post was first written.

Update:  As of the second quarter of 2023, there are 356.6 million domain name registrations globally (verified by Verisign). This marks significant growth since 2013 when this blog post was first written​

Should you use your real name or a business name for freelancing? There are definite benefits to using your actual name as your business name. It’s great for personal branding, easy to remember, and allows you to offer multiple products or services under one name. You can always buy a domain specific to each product name and promote it or link it back to your main website. To read more on choosing a domain name for your freelancing business. Click here.

So, what should be the priority? Do you pick a company name based on whether an exact-match domain is available, or do you get creative with the URL to fit the business name of your dreams? Here are my thoughts:

If your business model revolves around the web or if you plan to spend a lot on online marketing, then an exact-match domain name should be a top priority. Think Netflix, Yelp, Spotify, or even Google. People will automatically default to your company name as your URL, and if that URL directs them to someone else’s site, you’re losing out on valuable business prospects. Plus, an exact-match domain name helps you get found by search engines instead of someone else.

Also, if your customers are everyday consumers, an exact match URL is more important than if you’re in the business-to-business (B2B) industry. Why? B2B companies tend to sell to niche categories with a smaller pool of customers, which means less noise online. With business-to-consumer (B2C) companies, consumers are less likely to spend the time to find you, which means more chances for your competition to attract their attention.

Is your Domain Name Available on Social Media?

Finally, check whether matching social media handles are available. Ideally, they should all match your domain name. If something’s already taken, consider making a small change to your brand name or adding an industry—or location-specific modifier that’s consistent across all your social media networks.

The excerpt of this post was referenced from an article at INC.com, written by Janine Povick, CEO and founder of Vertical Response.  “Is your Business Name Web Friendly?” and from “Do you own your kid’s domain name from hover blog, by Sarah Georges.

I hope you enjoyed this post and learned a little about picking out a domain name for your business.