# How to choose a domain name for your startup

Eight rules of thumb for picking a name you can own, say and keep.

1. **Say it out loud.** If you have to spell it over the phone, it’s a support ticket waiting to happen.
2. **Short beats clever.** Aim for one or two words and under about 12 characters. Skip hyphens and digits.
3. **Check every TLD at once.** If `acme.io` is available but `acme.com` belongs to a competitor, that’s a problem, not a bargain.
4. **Pick for your audience.** A developer tool on [.dev](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/dev.md) reads naturally. A local bakery on [.ai](https://availablewhois.com/tlds/ai.md) doesn’t.
5. **Check trademarks and handles.** A free domain is worth little if the name is trademarked or every social handle is taken.
6. **Compare renewal prices.** First-year deals are common. Renewals are what you pay for the next decade.
7. **Buy it before you share it.** Registration takes minutes. Losing a name you announced takes longer to get over.
8. **Turn on auto-renew.** Most lost domains aren’t stolen. Someone forgot to renew.

Stuck? Try a [domain hack](https://availablewhois.com/domain-hacks.md), or read the [TLD guide](https://availablewhois.com/tlds.md).

[Check a domain](https://availablewhois.com/)

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