# Selecting a domain name



## SkullDude (May 10, 2008)

When picking a domain name I'm assuming it is ideal if you can get the exact name of your company. But what if that is taking. For instance if my companies name was, JumpingJosh. JumpingJosh.com is taken, so is it advisable to register jumpingjoshclothing.com or jumpingjoshapparel.com, or should you just pick an entirely different name altogether. I'm trying to build a brand and I don't want to do anything that might confuse consumers. 

What are people's opinions on this?


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## EnMartian (Feb 14, 2008)

I would say either of the two you suggested would work. If jumpingjosh is the name of the clothing line than I would go with the next best thing if jumpingjosh.com is taken. Just make sure that you reference the URL for your site a lot so that people are aware it isn't jumpingjosh.com.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

I agree with Kristine, both the alternatives you suggested are fine. Adding apparel or clothing to the end of your brand name's domain isn't bad.

Of course it would be "ideal" if you could just have jumpinjosh.com like your example, but I think as long as you have the dot .COM and it's still very close, it should be fine.

More information about domain names here: domain names related topics at T-Shirt Forums


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## lilly4 (Oct 24, 2007)

Hi, I think that both alternatives are fine as well. My 2 cents comment = I'd probably go with 'clothing' rather than 'apparel' because some people have trouble spelling 'apparel' and you don't want them not finding your site over something silly like that?!


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## Solmu (Aug 15, 2005)

Personally I disagree - not being able to get _CompanyName.com_ was always a deal breaker for me, and I've discarded many potential brand names because of it. For SEO, for trademark convenience, for professionalism, for direct navigation, etc. etc. there's no question which is better. Each business then needs to decide for themselves _how much_ better, but for me it's the right URL or nothing.

That said, if you're so desperate you end up choosing between a bastardised spelling (like "Jumpin Joosh") and adding a word (JumpingJoshCothing) then adding a word wins.


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## Teeser (May 14, 2008)

What about JammingJosh.com or some other J verb?


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## bwattsup (May 11, 2008)

Solmu said:


> Personally I disagree - not being able to get _CompanyName.com_ was always a deal breaker for me


I totally agree Lewis. I didn't even settle on a name for my company until I had the ._com_ name I wanted. I'd keep working until I found what was perfect.


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## mystysue (Aug 27, 2006)

one option would be if you were going to incorp. .then you could be jumpingjoshinc.com
hmm or mabe try jumpinjosh.com.. and change your company name.. if that avail..

One thing to also think about.. is if the company that owns jumpingjosh makes clothes or t-shirts and has it traded marked.. You could be in trouble with any of the variations.


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## billm75 (Feb 15, 2007)

Consider adding a hypen as well. I know some people advocate against this, but it's not a bad alternative: jumping-josh.com same name, just added a dash. 

And whatever route you choose to go with, keep checking on the original domain name you wanted. It could come available to you in the future. Then you can get it as well and point it to your web site. For years I have wanted my last name .com but someone has had it for almost 10 years now. I ended up going with .net and keep checking to see if the .com frees up. Works for my email purposes anyways!


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## lilly4 (Oct 24, 2007)

Hi, just wondering if you have had any luck chosing your domain name or if you are still debating over what to do?


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## Jasonda (Aug 16, 2006)

billm75 said:


> For years I have wanted my last name .com but someone has had it for almost 10 years now. I ended up going with .net and keep checking to see if the .com frees up.


The people who buy domains to "squat" on them will never give them up unless you pay them.


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## SkullDude (May 10, 2008)

Just an update:

Jumping Josh is not the actual name I am considering, it was really just for my example. But, thank you for all the useful advice. I actually made a huge list of about 60 names. And then had friends and family pick their top three and their bottom three. My main purpose in doing this was to find particular names that people found catchy or interesting. I think people are drawn to names the flow nicely, if that makes any sense. 

I have narrowed my list down a lot and am still in the process of picking a domain. I pretty much am planning on eliminating the domain name if I can't get the exact name (without extensions like clothing, apparel, etc.). I have found a few of the domains are just being squatted on. But, I could probably pick one of them up for a few hundred bucks. I'm not sure if I want to do this, but it is still an option.

Anyway, thanks for the responses,

Josh


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## karenotto (Jun 27, 2008)

You know, Go Daddy has always been real helpful when we needed domain names. Im not an employee of theres, I just realy have had a good time with there service.
There are new extension and we use .BIZ because the .COM wasn't availble. Yes, you want it to be as close to your company name as you can or something that will remind the buyer of your stores name.
best of luck


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

What every you pick buy the hypenated and the scrunched version of your name so a competitor can't purchase the other version. Seo wise the SE's prefer the hypenated version if it contains a keyword that is searched for. Jumpingjoshclothing is less likely to be listed for a search for "clothing" than jumping-josh-clothing where "clothing" is interpretated as a single word.


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## speedy5044 (Feb 2, 2010)

SkullDude said:


> When picking a domain name I'm assuming it is ideal if you can get the exact name of your company. But what if that is taking. For instance if my companies name was, JumpingJosh. JumpingJosh.com is taken, so is it advisable to register jumpingjoshclothing.com or jumpingjoshapparel.com, or should you just pick an entirely different name altogether. I'm trying to build a brand and I don't want to do anything that might confuse consumers.
> 
> What are people's opinions on this?


It depend on the keywords you want to rank for , but if you want to buy a non related with content domain you can try other TLD


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## SchmoopyDesign (Feb 12, 2010)

I'm in the same boat. The "name".com that I'm interested in is take and the guy is a major squatter. I can get nameclothing.com, nameapparel.com, or nametees.com.

At this point I'm only really envisioning selling tees. Any suggestions as to which would work best?


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2010)

Getting your company name is the only way to go. And, for branding on the web, the shorter the better, as people will mistype long urls. 

If you feel it is long, register the most commonly misspelled versions of the name. So, pick a name, then have a friend type it with the .com attached ten times. Then you do it ten times. You will find the most misspelled names. Register the top two of those and redirect them to your site.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

SchmoopyDesign said:


> I'm in the same boat. The "name".com that I'm interested in is take and the guy is a major squatter. I can get nameclothing.com, nameapparel.com, or nametees.com.
> 
> At this point I'm only really envisioning selling tees. Any suggestions as to which would work best?


How long is your "name" (how many characters?) That might help to decide whether to go with "apparel" or "tees"


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## EddieM (Jun 29, 2009)

The problem with the word tees is most people using that are looking for golf tees *not t shirts.

*If you look at last month in google.the words T Shirt was searched for 13,600,000 times

Tees was searched for 2,240,000 and most of that was for golf tees

the words mens tees was only searched for 40,500 ladies tees not even 5000

clothing - of some kind was searched for 124,000,000 times but most people looking for a T Shirt will not use the word clothing

So if it was me i would be using the word t shirt in my name like

magicstshirt.com or faceittshirts.com or what ever . net . biz

You still have to find your target customer and key word for them if you know who they are.

I would stay away from the word tees unless you sell golf shirts them you can sell tess to LOL


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