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How to Search for Available Domain Names

As you search the list of available domain names, you may feel like all the good ones are taken. Indeed, most of the common words already have Web sites built around them, but with a little effort and creativity, you can find a name that’s right for you.

Simple Domain Name Searches
The easiest way to search for an available domain name is to start at a registrar Web site. Registration companies accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are responsible for distributing Internet domain names.

ICANN maintains a database of all registered names that can be searched by a simple application called “whois”. Whois can be accessed at most registration company Web sites or at www.internic.net/whois.html. If a domain name is already registered, whois will list details of the registration, including who owns the name and when the name registration will expire. In some cases, you may need to contact a registrar to get in touch with the actual owner, as the owners of domain names can opt to have their personal information blocked from these searches.

A More Sophisticated Approach
Several companies provide services beyond simple searching. Here are a few:

* Nameboy (www.nameboy.com/): This site will take a primary and secondary word and mash them together in obvious and not-so-obvious ways that can start some creative brainstorming. Nameboy will also list the availability of all the combinations it creates.
* DomainsBot (www.domainsbot.com/): DomainsBot takes a suggested name and reports on its availability, but it also reports on the availability of similar names and names that are for sale or about to expire.

When All Else Fails
If you absolutely have to have a domain name that’s not available, you may be able to buy it, either commercially, at auction or from a private seller. Many registrar companies have lists of domain names that are available for sale with prices ranging from a few dollars to prices in the millions.

As you might imagine, prices likes this have created a booming business in “domain brokering”. Several companies have become very successful at buying and selling domain names. If you’re looking for something specific, and you can afford the cost, a domain broker could be your solution.