Getting started · 6 min read

How to check if a domain name is available (and pick a good one)

A quick guide to finding an available domain you'll be happy with for years.

Your domain is your address on the internet — the thing customers type, remember, and trust. Choosing one that's available and good takes a little care, but it's straightforward. Here's how to check availability and pick a domain you won't outgrow.

How to check if a domain is available

The simplest way is to type your desired name into a domain registrar — Namecheap, Cloudflare, Porkbun, or similar. They instantly show whether the .com (and other endings) are free, taken, or available to buy. If you're brainstorming names, our store name generator gives each idea a one-click domain check, so you can shortlist only names you can actually own.

What makes a good domain

• Short and memorable. The fewer characters, the easier to type and recall. Aim for something you can say once and have someone spell correctly.
• Easy to spell. Avoid tricky spellings, doubled letters, or words people commonly get wrong — you'll lose visitors to typos.
• No hyphens or numbers if possible. They're hard to say aloud ("is that the number or the word?") and look less trustworthy.
• Prefer .com. It's still the most trusted and expected ending. If your .com is taken, a clean alternative is better than a clumsy .com with hyphens.

What to do if your .com is taken

Popular names go fast, so have a plan:

• Add a small word — "get", "try", "shop", or "hq" (like getyourname.com). This is common and perfectly legitimate.
• Try a modern ending — .co, .store, or .shop can work well for commerce, though .com still carries the most trust.
• Tweak the name — a slightly different, still-brandable variation often frees up a clean .com.
• Avoid the cheapest, spammy-looking endings, which can undermine trust with both visitors and search engines.

Check trademarks before you buy

A quick sanity check saves future headaches: make sure your chosen name isn't an existing trademark in your industry and isn't easily confused with a bigger brand. It's also wise to keep platform names (like "Shopify") out of your domain. A simple search covers most of this.

Buy it, then build

Once you've found an available domain that's short, clear, and trademark-safe, register it and move on — domains are cheap and the decision matters far less than what you build on it. From here, see how to name your store for the full naming process, and choosing your first theme for the next step.