07/11/2023
Domain investors and brand developers need inspiration daily in order to come up with the perfect domain name.
Whether you search for available domains in the secondary market or make a brave attempt at registering something unique "from scratch," inspiration arrives through a variety of paths. The goal is to build and expand a quality domain portfolio.
In the "good old days," domain entrepreneurs like Frank Schilling would look up every possible keyword combination or phrase under the sun. Yes, most of them are now registered, but even today's latecomers can use their imagination, along with existing research tools as idea generators for domain names.
The first source of such a domain-spawning idea is rather obvious: the daily news.
Pro tip: write the words "Register Domains" on a yellow sticker attached to your monitor — this way you'll never forget to keep an eye out for such inspirations.
By following today's news closely, you can use the approach that anything news-worthy is probably registrable as a domain, as long as you avoid stepping into trademark-infringing territory.
To follow the news closely, you can sign up for a news mashing source such as Flipboard. It allows you to distill the type of news that you may want to target, such as technology, finance, food, travel or even politics. Good luck with the latter though, as it's very rarely rewarding.
You can do the same with other online sources, such as Reddit news, which is a news stream generated by readers.
Remember though, that what you are looking for here, is ideas. In other words, by perusing news summaries, you are inclined to think of a matching keyword or phrase that could be registered as a domain name — if you are a domain name investor looking for available domains.
If you are a brand developer, you might need to expand your search into domain databases of venues that list domains for sal. Depending on your budget, you would have to look up different options or negotiate a domain acquisition with the assistance of the Domain Brokers.
And now, for the "lazy" among you, try a domain name generator — the best thing since sliced bread, according to a British saying.
There are several available, and NameBoy is probably the oldest such tool that helps you come up with a creative domain name by entering a couple of keywords.
If NameBoy generates domains too simplistic for your taste, I have great news for you: FlameDomain is a domain name and brand generator that provides a category-specific tool to generate available domain names. The quality of domains is exceptional, but to perform searches in volume you need to pay a nominal fee for an account.
Still not able to get to your ideal domain brand? Collaborate with others.
By using the brainpower of other domain investors or brand developers you will become more aware of their unique angles in domain name generation. Some could be proficient at combining words to form new brands, while others might be great at coming up with creative domains. Join a community such as DNForum or NamePros, and exchange ideas in the forums, or follow similar groups on LinkedIn and even on Facebook.
Conclusion: The path to getting ideas for domain names is as wide as your imagination. Use these tools and options consistently, to grow your domain name portfolio with quality domain names that you register "by hand," or acquire via the secondary domain market.