Domain hacks: when the TLD finishes the word
A domain hack splits a word so its last letters become the extension. The whole domain reads as one name, and it's often still available when the .com is long gone.
Famous examples
- del.icio.us
- The social bookmarking site Delicious, and the best-known domain hack.
- youtu.be
- YouTube’s short links, on Belgium’s .be.
- redd.it
- Reddit’s short links, on Italy’s .it.
- instagr.am
- Instagram’s early short domain, on Armenia’s .am.
- goo.gl
- Google’s retired URL shortener, on Greenland’s .gl.
How to find one
Look at the last two or three letters of your name and check whether they’re a real TLD. Most hacks use two-letter country codes, because there are around 250 of them. (The examples below show the pattern, not availability.)
- words ending -sh
- .sh → pu.sh
- words ending -ly
- .ly → rare.ly
- words ending -it
- .it → subm.it
- words ending -is
- .is → analys.is
- words ending -in
- .in → plug.in
- words ending -me
- .me → aweso.me
AvailableWhois does this for you: type a name and the hacks show up among the ideas, already checked against the registry.
Before you buy one
Some country codes have residency rules. For example, .us requires a connection to the United States, and .it is limited to people and organizations in the EU/EEA. Check the rules for the TLD before you get attached.
Say it out loud. People may type the name without the dot, or add a .com. Hacks work best as short links and secondary domains, or when your audience is used to them.
Prices vary a lot. Some country-code TLDs cost far more than .com, at registration and at renewal.
Picking a regular TLD instead? See the TLD guide.