What Is a Domain Name?

Choosing a domain name is an important decision for any website owner. If you’re wondering what does domain name mean, you’re not alone. The following information will shed some light on the subject matter.

Definition of Domain Name

A domain name is used to recognize one or more IP addresses. Domain names are used in URLs to recognize Web pages. For instance, in the URL https://www.flyingcowdesign.com, the domain name is flyingcowdesign.com.

Since the Web is supported by IP addresses, every Web server must have a Domain Name System or DNS server. A DNS server translates domain names into IP addresses.

Each domain name that exists has a suffix that displays which ‘top level domain’ it belongs to. What is a domain name suffix? Here are a few examples:

.com (business)
.net (network organizations)
.edu (educational institutions)
.org (non-profit)
.gov (government agencies)

Choosing a domain name is just as important as choosing the right company name. The domain name you select should represent the product or service you’re offering on the Internet. Unlike choosing a company name, when you choose a domain name, it is permanent. It is important that you choose the right name because once it’s registered you can’t edit or change the name.

When choosing a domain name, make sure you choose a name that is captivating and memorable. The domain name can be a combination of letters, numbers and symbols such as “-“. You can choose a one word name or you can select more than one word. It is recommended that you choose a short name that is easy for people to type. A shorter name also looks more attractive on business cards, brochures, advertisements and other marketing materials.

To save time when choosing a domain name, check to see if the domain name is available. You can check on sites like “Whois.com” or you can check when registering your domain. This will instantly let you know if your domain name is available.

If you register your domain name on sites like BallisticDomains.com, the domain name checker will give you alternative domain names that are available. For instance, if you’re looking to register a domain name like “mywebsite.com” and it is taken, the site will automatically offer other versions of that particular name like “mywebsite.net” or”thisismywebsite.com”.

If you have a domain name in mind that is already taken, you can contact the website owner and offer to purchase the name.

If you are unsure of what domain name to create, you can purchase a domain name that’s already registered. The benefit of purchasing a name that’s already in existence is that it most likely already has an established web presence. The search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.) love sites that have been online for a while.

Finding the meaning of a domain name is not as complicated as it may seem. Once you’ve created a domain name, the next step is to find a good hosting provider and you’re ready to launch your new website.

For more domain and hosting related information, visit the Domains and Hosting FAQ section of FlyingCowDesign.com