On Domain Names...
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- Last post
- 19 Responses
- enkayes
Hey all,
I thought I'd pick your collective brain about an issue I'm having.
I'm trying to pick a new domain name to host my portfolio site and I'm coming up short. For starters, both my full name and nick name have been taken under .com. My full name exists under .net, but I'm trying to explore creative options first (as I never really liked .net).
I was recently introduced to domai.nr and have been exploring my options there.
I like the idea of breaking up the domain to something like johnsmi.th a lot more than johnsmith.net, but I'm worried that potential clients would be confused by it and habitually add the ".com" anyway (resulting in a 404).
I have also considered using a non-named related domain name, but I'm also attempting to avoid it.
So I submit to you fine people, what makes sense to you and why?
johnsmith.net
johnsmi.th
or a non-named related nameThanks!
- ********0
http://johnsmith.net/ appears taken...
- spill70
smithjohn isnt taken..
- ********0
.net is good if you like your name i prefer it over what com means but com is com.
- ********0
id come up with a name over your name though more interesting if you can come up with a unique name
- enkayes0
John Smith was an example name ;)
- then why ask for help?spill7
- because I didn't want people being dickheads and buying up domains that might have been thought up. I was just curious about the community's opinion on a domain's marketability.enkayes
- about the community's idea of a domain's marketability to clients.enkayes
- ahh very good thinking becasue i did mention [flavorful] he has done that..spill7
- ..and then posted the url of the name of the guy who posted the thread.. classic!!spill7
- ismith0
iansmith.com
smith-e.com
ismith.com
icsmith.com
iansmith.net
ismith.netFUCK ALL OF THEM.
- I like .net the most but .com is easier for sure.ismith
- yes fuck them in the yearspill7
- *earspill7
- Talk to the owner of iansmith.com and figure out how you can acquire it after his gay walk-a-thon.********
- ********0
dont do your name its better to have a altered word or two words or 3 words
- ismith0
I would even take a johnsmith domain name if any good ones existed. It's only one degree off.
- ********0
meetjohnsmith
hellojohnsmith
studiojohnsmith...are all pretty common methods of getting around shit-eating domain squatters.
- ********0
johnsmith.mx
johnsmith.ag
johnsmith.com.co
johnsmith.net.co
johnsmith.nom.co
johnsmith.com.ag
johnsmith.net.ag
johnsmith.it
johnsmith.org.ag
johnsmith.am
johnsmith.at
johnsmith.be
johnsmith.bz
johnsmith.com.bz
johnsmith.net.bz
johnsmith.com.es
johnsmith.nom.es
johnsmith.org.es
johnsmith.fm
johnsmith.gs
johnsmith.co.in
johnsmith.firm.in
johnsmith.gen.in
johnsmith.ind.in
johnsmith.net.in
johnsmith.org.in
johnsmith.jp
johnsmith.ms
johnsmith.com.mx
johnsmith.nu
johnsmith.co.nz
johnsmith.net.nz
johnsmith.org.nz
johnsmith.tc
johnsmith.tw
johnsmith.com.tw
johnsmith.org.tw
johnsmith.idv.tw
johnsmith.vg
- spill70
the best name you can ever get for a url is the same name you can get for a QBN username.
- no********
- yay********
- probabilityprogram.c...spill7
- its not taken.. you have time!!!spill7
- i have a domain
problem-solve.com
/downloads
/preview
/code******** - WTF Is this.********
- what is what********
- the font? i believe its Courier.spill7
- no
- UKV0
Why not just think up a fun concept / brand idea and go from there on the URL? example: http://Georgeismylastname.com
- I have Enkayes.com. My initials are NKS. This issue is that no one knows thats what enkayes means.enkayes
- The point isnt to refactor your name. The point is to think up a fresh, easily understood idea.UKV
- Good point.enkayes
- ismith0
One thing I will say is if you find a parked/squatted domain with your name you can often claim it if you have the right credentials. i.e. if you've been freelancing for X years under your own name or sole proprietor of a company with your name in it, or in some cases have name recognition unrelated to your company name. I was able to get a domain name for my mother this way...
- enkayes0
Spill7, I do have my QBN name as a domain :)
The thought was my initials (NKS) would be my domain, so I came up with enkayes. En-Kay-Es.
The issue is that no one knows how to pronounce it or knows what the hell it is besides me!
- if you fail to market yourself, why would anyone trust you to help them?********
- hello comment to mespill7
- your website does exactly what mine does.. wow!!spill7
- i think your takes longer to load though mine is fast like a speedy gonzalezspill7
- I think it's less failing to market at this point than figuring out what makes sense in a portfolio domain.enkayes
- enkayes made sense to me, but not to everyone else. My question was on what makes sense on a large scaleenkayes
- what is it you are selling? a name around that would make sense. are you selling you??spill7
- Yes. I'm attempting to sell myself as a designer/developer and stand out (as we all are).enkayes
- Enkayes was my attempt to stray away from johnsmithdesign.com and have people identify me by name (NKS) and brand (Enkayes) simultaneously.enkayes
- (NKS) and brand (Enkayes) simultaneously.enkayes
- so market the name as a brand and not as your name. dont make people guess it.spill7
- That was the plan, but my issue is that people end up saying En-kay-es like "In-Case"enkayes
- Punctuate, bitcha_iver
- < just an examplea_iver
- if you fail to market yourself, why would anyone trust you to help them?
- ukit0
Well basically you got five options-
1) Different suffix like the ones listed above, probably not the best since it sort of implies you live in the country unless you can spin off a ".fm" or ".tv" where it makes sense somehow with what you do.
2) Dash in the middle, john-smith
3) Add something to your name, i.e., johnsmithdesign, hellojohnsmith, studiojohnsmith, iammotherfuckingjohnsmith etc
4) Choose a different name
5) Sell your house and buy johnsmith.com
- enkayes0
I appreciate all the responses! Thanks ladies and gents :)
- inkpink0
hope somebody grabbed smithjohn.com... that's a goldmine.
- a_iver0
Punctuate it motha-cruckr. But make sure you're happy with it, i put a dash between my first and last name, and sometime i'm not so sure. What about En.Kay.Es? Or something like that