Domain name generators are helpful tools you can use for free—whether you’re a blogger or a business owner—to discover available domain names for your website based on keywords. If you’ve tried to find a relevant domain, chances are you’ve found just how difficult it can be. Thanks to a domain name generator, you can save a lot of time and easily find suitable domains. To further save you time, we found the best domain name generators.
Get domain name ideas for your website using one of the best domain name generators:
- Nameboy: (Best Overall) Best for optimizing keywords in your domain name
- Lean Domain Search: Best for getting quick access to a huge volume of domain names
- Shopify: Best name generator for those planning to build an online store without code
- NameStall: Best for exploring short domain names and domain name hacks
- Bust a Name: Best for highly customized domain name suggestions
- NameStation: Best for crowdsourcing domain name ideas
- Panabee: Best for also checking the availability of social media handles and app names
Though domain name generators serve a pretty straightforward purpose, there are differences that make some generators better than others—and better for certain users. That said, our choice for overall best name generator is Nameboy because small business owners can use its clean interface to quickly yield a large volume of domain name ideas.
1. Overall Best Domain Name Generator: Nameboy
Screenshot of Nameboy’s domain name generator
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Can optimize for multiple keywords | Doesn’t offer as many bells and whistles as other generators on our list |
Automatically includes additional domain extensions in results | Cannot sort by extension |
Lets you see who owns domains that are already taken |
Nameboy, our overall best domain name generator, lets users search for available domain names based on one or two keywords. This is in contrast to some generators that limit searches to a single keyword. So, for example, if you want to include your business’ location in your domain name, you can search for keywords related to your type of business as well as where you’re based.
What’s more, Nameboy shows you domains that are available as well as domains that are already owned by someone else. This way, you can use WHOIS Lookup to see who owns it and, where possible, make an offer to purchase it.
2. Best High-volume Searches: Lean Domain Search
Screenshot of Lean Domain Search’s domain name generator
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Quickly produces a large volume of domain ideas | Only provides .com domain extensions |
Tells you whether a domain name is available on Twitter—and if it’s too long | |
Lets you copy results to your computer’s clipboard |
Lean Domain Search is just what the name suggests—lean. That said, the name generator provides an incredibly user-friendly way to generate a large volume of domain ideas when creating your small business website. To use the tool, simply enter one or more keywords in the search box and Lean Domain Search will generate thousands of possible domain names in under a second.
You can then sort the results alphabetically or by popularity or length. Domain name ideas can also be filtered based on whether they start or end with the search term. You’ll also be able to copy the results to your clipboard so you don’t lose track of searches.
3. Best for Retail: Shopify
Screenshot of Shopify’s domain name generator
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Shows cost of each domain | Takes longer to generate results than some other options on our list |
Can share and bookmark your search results | Not ideal if you’re not looking to build an online store with Shopify |
Walks users through the process of setting up an online store |
An all-in-one commerce platform, Shopify offers services ranging from point of sale (POS) systems to ecommerce web hosting. As part of these services, Shopify also features a tool for choosing a domain name. Simply enter a keyword in the search box and Shopify will produce a list of domain extensions that let you use your exact keyword, as well as a list of alternative domain names with a .com extension.
In addition to the domain names, Shopify identifies the annual cost of each option so you know what to expect when registering it. In fact, you can even use the Shopify platform to walk you through everything from registration to web hosting and site design—making it our top choice for retailers.
Visit Shopify Domain Name Generator
4. Best for Short Domain Names: NameStall
Screenshot of NameStall’s domain name generator
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Wide range of domain name generation tools | Outdated interface |
Lets you choose from numerous domain extensions | Only lets you search one keyword |
Makes it easy to brainstorm a range of creative names |
While NameStall has a somewhat outdated user interface, its domain name generation tools are both extensive and robust. Not only can you use NameStall as a traditional domain name generator, the platform also offers more specific tools that let you generate ideas more specifically tailored to your needs.
For example, you can use the platform to search for domain names with specific letter combinations that could stand for your business name or spell out something relevant to your blog. Likewise, NameStall lets you target domain name hacks that incorporate domain extensions—like Blo.gs and Aud.io.
5. Best for Highly Customized Search: Bust a Name
Screenshot of Bust a Name’s domain name generator
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Users can add as many words as they want to customize a domain | Doesn’t provide a large list of domain names |
Can sort domain names based on extension, length, prefix, suffix, and other options | Only recommends a small number of domain extensions |
Offers the ability to choose where to buy the domain |
Bust a Name users can add as many keywords as they want to generate more specific, customized domain names. And while the generator doesn’t produce a huge list of possible domain names, like other generators, the results are highly tailored to the needs of your business. This means the recommended domain names are less likely to be random, difficult to spell, or confusing to your customers.
When you’re ready to purchase a domain, you can also see how much each costs through different domain name registrars—including services that offer registration and web hosting.
6. Best for Crowdsourcing: NameStation
Screenshot of NameStation’s name contest submission form
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Lets you get ideas and feedback from an online community through domain name contests | Requires creating an account |
Generates domains with a large number of extensions | Basic generator doesn’t list as many domains as other options we reviewed |
Incorporates additional preferences, like for related keywords and three-word names |
Like other domain name generators on our list, NameStation makes it easy to view thousands of domains based on your preferred keyword and domain extension. Users can also search for three-word domain names and opt to include related words—or not.
That said, NameStation really stands out because it also offers users the option of starting a domain name contest. To do so, create an account, add details about what you’re looking for (including important keywords and words that should be avoided), and await responses from the NameStation community.
7. Best for Social Media & App Names: Panabee
Screenshot of Panabee’s domain name generator
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Also checks the availability of related app names and social media handles | Many of the suggested domain name variations are irrelevant |
Lets you explore numerous domain extensions | |
Automatically translates your keywords into other languages |
To use the name generator, simply enter two words or a domain name and Panabee will provide a list of relevant domains. This includes an indication of domains that are unavailable as well as how Panabee modified your keyword to arrive at the domain name variation.
You’ll also be able to see translations of your keyword into a number of different languages, related apps on the Apple App Store, and an extensive list of terms related to your keyword. Panabee also gives you the option to choose from numerous domain extensions in case you want to stray from the traditional .com extension. Finally, if you find a domain name you like, you can click out directly to GoDaddy.com to purchase it.
Bottom Line
Just like coming up with a business or blog name, it can be challenging to find the perfect domain name—and one that’s still available. Luckily, there are a number of domain name generators that can help you brainstorm relevant ideas. Get the inspiration you need for your business’ domain name by exploring what the best domain name generators on our list come up with.
You Might Also Like…
- If your preferred domain isn’t available, consider using an alternative domain name extension.
- Ready to register your domain? Learn how you can get a free domain name.
- You can also take a look at small business website examples to get more inspiration.
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