Naming guides and original data
Honest, data-backed writing on naming a brand and finding a .com you can actually register: domain extension reviews, brand-name teardowns, and original research from checking real names against the live registry.
The Psychology of Memorable Brand Names
Why some names stick after one hearing: distinctiveness, processing fluency, sound symbolism, and imagery, and how to apply each when naming with an available .com.
Should You Buy More Than One Extension of Your Domain?
When defensive domain registration is worth it, which extensions actually matter, and the misspelling question, an honest framework instead of registrar upsell.
The Hyphen and Plural Loopholes: How Often They Work, Measured
Registry data on the two classic dodges: when a compound .com is taken, the hyphenated version is free 48.9% of the time and the plural 64.4%. For single words: 0%.
How Fast Do Available .coms Get Taken? We Re-Checked 783 of Them
We re-verified 783 previously-available brandable .coms against the live registry: 4.9% were gone, including 6.6% of names last seen free 1-2 months ago. Real names named.
Which Niches Have the Most Available .coms? Data From 6,369 Verified Names
Registry data across 6,369 brandable names: tech and SaaS names are 2% available, beauty and fashion 18-20%. The niche you are naming in changes your odds by 10x.
We Checked the Same 150 Names on .com, .app, and .ai. Here Is Where Availability Actually Lives
Same 150 brandable names, three registries: 5.3% had an available .com, 44.6% an available .app, 47.3% an available .ai. And .co and .io cannot be verified at all.
The Best Domain Extension for a Blog, Newsletter, or Store
The honest verdict on .com vs .blog, .co, .io, .store and platform subdomains for blogs, newsletters, and online stores, plus how to still find an available .com.
How Long Is the Average Available .com? We Measured 6,369 Names
We measured 6,369 registry-verified brandable names: available .coms average 9 characters, taken ones 7, and 4-letter names went 0 for 564. Full data by length.
Why Your Brand Name Should Not Describe Your Product
Descriptive names feel safe and cost you everything later: weak trademarks, no available .com, and a cage when the product evolves. Here is the case for evocative names.
.co vs .com: Does the Extension Actually Matter?
An honest breakdown of .co versus .com: trust, traffic leakage, renewal cost, and the one situation where .co is defensible. Includes how to still find an available .com.
Why Figma Is a Great Brand Name (a Teardown)
Figma is a made-up word, and that is exactly why it works. A teardown of how to invent a brand name that is short, ownable, and actually has a free .com.
What Makes a Brand Name Sound Premium (and How to Get There)
Why do some names sound expensive and others sound cheap? The sound, length, and restraint behind premium-feeling brand names, and how to name yours that way.
Is a .io Domain Still Worth It for Startups? (2026)
For a decade .io was the default startup extension. Then .ai took its crown. Here is whether .io is still worth it, what it costs, and when to use it.
Why Notion Is a Great Brand Name (a Teardown)
Notion could have been called Docs or Workspace. Instead it picked an abstract real word and won. A teardown of why it works and the pattern you can copy.
Why One-Word Brand Names Win (and the Catch)
One-word brand names are easier to say, spell, and remember, which is why the best brands use them. The catch: the .coms are almost all gone. Here is the data and the workaround.
Is a .ai Domain Worth It? An Honest Cost-Benefit (2026)
A .ai domain costs several times a .com and renews high every year. Here is the honest math on when a .ai is worth it, when it is not, and what it really costs over five years.
We Asked AI for 220 Startup Names. Only 1 Had an Available .com.
We ran 220 AI-generated startup name ideas against the live .com registry. 219 were already taken. Here is the data, why it happens, and what to do instead.
Why Stripe Is a Great Brand Name (a Teardown)
Stripe broke the obvious naming rule and won. A teardown of why it works, plus the repeatable pattern behind Notion, Figma, and Vercel you can steal for your own name.
Do Hyphens Hurt a Domain? The Honest Answer (2026)
Hyphens do not directly lower Google rankings, but they quietly cost you traffic, trust, and recall. Here is when a hyphen is fine and when it sinks a brand.
.com vs .ai: Which Domain Should You Actually Use? (2026)
An honest, founder-first breakdown of .com versus .ai: trust, SEO, resale value, renewal cost, and when a .ai domain is genuinely the right call.
State of Available .com Names (2026)
We generate brand names and check each against the live .com registry. Here is the real data on how few brandable .com domains are still available, by niche and by name style.