How to choose a domain name and extension

Choose a domain that people can recognize, spell, and use for both your website and email. The name before the extension and the extension itself are part of the address: changing either means registering a different domain.

1. Write down a short list of names that fit your business or project. Say each one aloud and check whether someone could type it after hearing it once.
2. Decide which extension suits your audience. Availability, renewal prices, minimum terms, and eligibility requirements vary by extension. A country-code extension may have rules different from a generic extension such as .com.
3. Search the complete name on our website, including the extension. Searching a bare name can show alternatives; searching a complete name checks that address first.
4. Review the registration term and the renewal price before deciding. A lower first registration price does not establish the future renewal price.
5. Check for confusing spelling, unintended meanings, and possible conflicts with an existing business or trademark. Domain availability alone does not settle a trademark question. ICANN provides an overview of domain name disputes.
6. Decide who should hold the registration and maintain access to its contact email. For a business, use accurate business contact details and an account the business can continue to access.

Check your choice: Compare the exact spelling in the search result, cart, and checkout. Pay particular attention to hyphens, plural forms, and compound extensions. A registered name cannot simply be renamed; a spelling change generally means another registration.

If the name is unavailable: Try an alternative name or extension. A name that does not load a website can still be registered. Use ICANN Lookup for public registration information, but treat the confirmed search result as the availability check for ordering.

If you want a name with non-English characters, confirm the exact supported spelling and any encoded form shown at checkout before paying. Ask support when those forms do not match your intention.

Related: Register a domain, Understand prices and terms, Troubleshoot searches and missing domains.