What If My Name Is Already Taken?

Unfortunately, a lot of domain names have already been reserved. If you have a fairly common name, there is a good chance that your name has already been purchased by someone else.

Below you will find some suggestions for selecting a domain name.

Remember, domain names are not case sensitive, and you cannot have spaces in a domain name. When you print a domain name on a business card or brochures or newspaper ads, it is a good idea to capitalize the first letter of every word–they’ll be easier to both read and remember.

• Try the obvious. If your name is Michael Smith, try MichaelSmith.com
• If that is taken, try MikeSmith.com
• Still no luck? Try adding the middle initial: MichaelCSmith.com.
• If that doesn’t work, try MichaelCharlesSmith.com.
• We don’t recommend hyphens (“-“) unless the name itself is hyphenated (e.g., www.DavidHyde-Pierce.com). Hyphenated names tend to get confusing and are tough to remember.
• Still no luck? How about a domain that tells what you do? MikeSellsHomes.com or MaryPlansRetirements.com.

If you are running out of ideas trying to find a suitable “dot com” address, you still have other alternatives …

• Try a “dot net” address (select the drop-down arrow on the Check Availability area above and select “.net“). While these are not as desirable as a “dot com,” they are certainly a viable alternative.
• The “dot org” domain is typically used to indicate a not-for-profit organization, but there is probably a good chance that your name is available for the .org address. It’s worth a try–enter your name in the empty field then select the drop-down arrow on the Check Availability area above and select “.org“
• The “dot me” domain is becoming more popular. Because it is relatively new, there is a better chance that your name is available for the .me address. Try it–enter your name in the empty field above, select the drop-down arrow on the Check Availability area above and select “.me“
• There are a number of other extensions available. Generally, the two character “top-level domains” are reserved for use by a country–for example, .US for the United States and .CA for Canada. The .CA names are reserved for Canadian citizens and organizations. These might be available to you, depending upon your citizenship. If you try to secure a domain that you are not qualified to purchase, the system will tell you before you enter your credit card information.
• If your name is available, you might want to consider getting some (or all) of the top-level domain names –.com, .net, .org, .me, .mobi, .us, .tv, etc. — at the same time. This prevents others from purchasing variations of your domain name in the future. Keep in mind that prices vary among the these types of domains. Prices will be reflected accordingly.

If you still need help, you’re always welcome to call our technical support line, available 24/7. Click the button on the right or call the number at the top of the screen.