Six ways to come up with domain name ideas
Good names rarely arrive in one flash. They come from trying many combinations quickly and keeping the few that feel right. The generator above automates the mechanical part so you can spend your time judging. These are the approaches it uses, and you can use them by hand too.
1. A keyword plus a modifier
Add a short word to your topic: a prefix such as get, try or join, or an ending such as hub, lab, base or kit. This is the most common pattern, which makes it easy to read and also crowded.
2. Two words, joined or blended
Enter two words and the tool joins them in both orders and blends them, for example by trimming a vowel or overlapping shared letters. Blends feel more original than a plain join.
3. Invented words
The Brandable style adds invented-sounding endings such as ora, ivo and ia. These names are distinctive and often available, but they need more explaining, so say them aloud before you commit.
4. Industry vocabulary
Choose an industry and the tool mixes your keyword with words from that field. Switching industries on the same keyword is a quick way to find a very different set of names.
5. Related words and synonyms
With the related words option on, the tool asks a word-finding service for words with a similar meaning and builds extra names from them. This helps when the obvious word is taken everywhere.
6. Sound and rhythm
Look for names with a pleasant rhythm: repeated sounds, a clear beat or two even syllables. These are easier to remember, even when they have no obvious meaning.
How to judge your ideas
The score and the Strong, Average or Weak label next to each name come from five visible parts, pronunciation, spelling, memorability, relevance and extension, nothing more. Press Why this score to see each part. Use them to compare ideas, then apply your own tests: can a friend type it after hearing it once, does it read well in lowercase with no spaces, and does it still fit if your plans change? A name with a lower score can still be the right one if it fits your audience.
What to do when your best idea is taken
Do not settle for a near-identical copy on another extension if an active business already uses the name, because you will send visitors to the wrong site. Instead, change the root word, add a distinctive second word, switch style, or look for a fresh angle with related words. If the taken name belongs to a parked page, the owner may sell it, but set a budget first.
Turn your ideas into a shortlist
Press More ideas to add up to five batches, each built from a different set of words, and use the approach buttons above the list to look at blends, invented words or plain words on their own. Save the names you like to your shortlist and sleep on them. The next day, keep only the ones you still like and can spell without looking. Then check trademarks and social handles before you register. The domain name guide covers the checks in more detail.