How to Choose a Good Domain Name (Checklist)

Domain names outlast most product decisions. Get this one right and you save yourself a rebrand.

The checklist

1. Under 15 characters — easy to type on mobile.
2. Pronounceable in one try — the "phone test": can you say it out loud and have someone type it correctly?
3. No hyphens or numbers — hyphens are forgotten, numbers get confused with words.
4. .com if you can — .app, .co and country codes are fine, but a matching .com stops competitors from squatting.
5. Trademark check — search USPTO and your local registry before buying.
6. Social handle available — grab the matching handle on the two platforms you actually use.
7. No accidental words — read the concatenation aloud. Domains like "expertsexchange" made history for the wrong reason.
8. Room to grow — "acmemugs.com" boxes you in if you ever add plates.
9. Broad enough for content marketing — descriptive domains rank well for the topic but limit brand expansion.
10. Renewal cost you can commit to — some TLDs cost 10x .com renewal fees.

Test the name

Ask five people to spell your candidate domain from a voice message. If two get it wrong, keep looking.

Once you own it

• Auto-renew with a reliable registrar.
• Enable domain lock and 2FA on the registrar account.
• Use a professional email at your own domain (hello@yoursite.com), not a Gmail alias.