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A good domain name is short, easy to say, easy to spell, and free both as a web address and as a social handle. Here's how to land one.
Keep it short and sayable
The best names are easy to say out loud and hard to misspell.
If you have to spell it letter by letter every time, people will get it wrong. Aim for something you can say once in conversation — like "rosies bakery" rather than "rosies-artisan-bakery-london". Shorter names are easier to remember, fit better on business cards, and look cleaner in an email address.
Make sure it's free everywhere
Check your web address and matching social handles together before you commit.
Nothing stings like falling in love with a name, buying the domain, and discovering someone else already has it on Instagram. Use one search to see whether your name is free as a web address and on the major social platforms — then pick a version that works across all of them.
Pick the right ending
Choose an ending that fits your audience — .com for global reach, .co.uk for British businesses, and specialist endings like .shop or .studio when they suit your brand.
If you serve customers in the UK, a .co.uk is a natural choice. If you're building a shop, .shop tells people what you do. .com is still the most recognised worldwide. Don't overthink it — a good name on the right ending beats a perfect name that's taken everywhere else.
Avoid common mistakes
Skip hyphens, numbers and tricky spellings unless you have a very good reason.
Hyphens and numbers make names harder to say and easier to mistype. Avoid names that sound like another brand, and check that your name doesn't mean something awkward in another language if you plan to go international. Keep it simple and ownable.
Check it and grab it
Search once, confirm on the platforms that matter, then register before someone else does.
Good names go quickly. Once you've found one that's free everywhere you care about, register it and point it at your site. With CortexGrip you can search, register and connect your name in one place — no separate accounts or confusing setup.
Common questions
If most of your customers are in the UK, .co.uk is a strong choice. If you want the broadest global recognition, .com is still king. Many businesses register both when they can.
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