How do I know if a domain name is available?

Generate ideas above and look at the badge on each card. Available means the registry has no record for the name, Taken means it is registered, and Unknown means the registry did not answer clearly. Always confirm at a registrar before paying, because premium and aftermarket prices are not shown in registry records.

Is a .com domain still worth it in 2026?

Yes, when you can get a good one. It is the extension most people type from memory, so it loses the fewest visitors. If the .com you want is taken, a clear .shop, .store or .co is usually better than a long or hyphenated .com.

Does a keyword in my domain help SEO?

Very little on its own. Google ranks pages on their content, links and relevance, not on the words in the domain. A keyword can still help people understand what you sell at a glance, so use one if it fits naturally and keeps the name short.

Why does a name show as available but cost hundreds of dollars?

Registries reserve some names as premium domains and price them far above the standard rate. They are unregistered, so registry records do not show them as taken, but the registrar shows the higher price at checkout. Check the price on the registrar page before you decide.

Should I buy other extensions of my domain too?

If the budget allows, register the .com plus the local extension for your main market, and redirect them to one site. It protects the brand from copycats and catches visitors who guess the wrong ending. You do not need every extension.

How do I choose a domain name?

Pick something short, easy to say and spell, without hyphens or numbers, that fits your brand rather than one product. Check the .com first, then the social handles and trademarks. Generate a long list here, shortlist three, and say each one out loud before you buy.

How many domains can I check for free?

You get 30 availability checks a day, and each check covers up to 20 names, so up to 600 names. Generating ideas is unlimited, and names checked in the last few hours are served from cache without using a check.

Domain Name Generator with Availability Check (Free)

Your domain is the address people type, the name on your packaging and the link in every email you send. It is also hard to change later, because every backlink, bookmark and printed card points to it. This generator gives you a long list of options fast, scores them, and checks which ones are still unregistered so you do not fall for a name you cannot get.

Everything except the availability check runs in your browser. The check asks each registry's public RDAP service whether the name is registered.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is the address people type to reach your website, such as wickandstone.com. It has two parts: the name you choose (wickandstone) and the extension, or top-level domain (.com). You rent it by the year from a registrar, which records it with the registry that runs the extension. It is separate from hosting: the domain is the address, and your store platform or host is where the site lives.

How to use the domain name generator

Type one to three keywords separated by commas: what you sell, your niche or a word that fits the mood, such as candle, soy, glow.
Pick the styles you want. Brandable blends a keyword with a short ending, keyword + suffix adds words like shop or supply, compound joins two real words, short invented names stay under about seven letters, and prefix names start with get, try or my. Tick Local and add a city for names like austincandles.com.
Choose extensions and a maximum length. Hyphens and numbers are off by default.
Click Generate domain ideas. Names on screen are checked in batches of 20. Turn on Available only to hide taken names, and click Show 20 more to check the next group.
Star the names you like, copy them, and click Register to confirm the price at the registrar.

The score out of 100 adds four parts: length (up to 40 points, best at 6 to 8 characters), pronounceability (up to 35, based on vowel balance and hard consonant clusters), keyword placement (up to 15, highest when the name starts with your keyword) and extension (up to 10, with .com highest). Hover a score to see the breakdown.

A worked example of the scores

With the keywords candle, soy, glow:

Domain	Length	Pronounceable	Keyword	Extension	Score
candleglow.com	37 (10 letters)	32	15 (starts with the first keyword)	10	94
soyglow.shop	40 (7 letters)	35	12 (starts with the second keyword)	7	94
glowcandleshop.com	25 (14 letters)	27	12	10	74

The score is a quick filter, not a verdict. candleglow.com and soyglow.shop tie, so the deciding questions are the human ones: which is easier to say, and which leaves room for diffusers and wax melts next year?

How to choose a good domain name

Pass the radio test. Say the name out loud to a friend. If they cannot type it correctly on the first try, you will lose visitors to typos.
Keep it short. Under 15 characters before the dot is a practical limit. Shorter names fit on labels, social bios and phone screens.
Avoid hyphens and numbers. People forget the hyphen and are not sure whether to write "4" or "four".
Brandable beats exact match. A keyword in the domain gives little or no ranking help on its own. A memorable name you can grow into (a candle shop that later sells diffusers) is worth more.
Check the social handles on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at the same time, so the brand matches everywhere.
Look at renewal prices, not only the first-year price. Many registrars discount year one and charge more on renewal.

If you still need the business name itself, start with the store name generator and bring your favorite names back here.

Which domain extension should you pick?

Extension	Best for	Things to know
.com	Almost any business	The default people type from memory. Short .com names are scarce, so expect to try several ideas.
.net	A backup when the .com is taken	Customers may still type .com and reach someone else.
.org	Nonprofits, communities, open projects	Open to anyone, but readers associate it with nonprofits.
.co	Startups and short brand names	Colombia's country code, open worldwide. Easy to confuse with .com in email addresses.
.io	Software and tech products	Country code of the British Indian Ocean Territory. The Chagos Islands handover raised questions about its long-term future, although the registry still works normally in 2026.
.ai	AI products and tools	Anguilla's country code. Registration and renewal need a minimum term of two years, and it usually costs more than .com.
.shop	Online stores	Tells visitors right away that they can buy. Good when the .com version is gone.
.store	Online stores and brands	Similar to .shop. Check the renewal price before you commit.

If you sell mainly in one country, a local extension such as .co.uk, .ca or .com.au also builds trust. Many owners register the .com and one backup extension and redirect the backup to the main site.

Availability and trademark checks

The Available badge means the registry has no registration record for that name. RDAP, the service that replaced WHOIS for domain records, returns "not found" for unregistered names and a record for registered ones. When a registry does not answer clearly, the name shows as Unknown. Three limits apply:

Registries hold some unregistered names as premium domains, sold for much more than the standard price. RDAP does not show prices.
A taken name may be for sale on an aftermarket, and that price is also not shown here.
Names can be registered by someone else between your check and your purchase.

Before you buy, work through these steps:

Confirm availability and the final price at a registrar. The Register button opens a Namecheap search for that exact name.
Search the name in the USPTO Trademark Search system, and in the WIPO Global Brand Database if you sell abroad. A name that clashes with a registered mark in your product category can cost you the domain later.
Search Google and the marketplaces you sell on for the same or a very similar name.
For a taken name, run a WHOIS lookup to see when it expires and who the registrar is.

How much does a domain name cost?

A standard .com usually costs roughly $10 to $25 a year at mainstream registrars in 2026, and many charge less for the first year than for renewals. Extensions such as .ai and .io cost more, and .ai needs at least two years at a time. Premium names, which registries price higher, and names bought from an existing owner can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Shopify also sells domains directly under Settings > Domains, which keeps billing in one place.

How to buy a domain name

Shortlist two or three available names here.
Run the trademark and Google checks above.
Open the registrar, confirm the first-year and renewal price, and turn on auto-renew and domain privacy.
Register it in an account you control, with an email address you will keep.
Connect it to your store or host, and set up a matching business email.

Common domain name mistakes

Picking a name that reads badly when the words run together. Read the full domain in lowercase before buying.
Using a trend word or a product type so narrow that the brand cannot grow.
Choosing a double letter at a word join (like shopp or candlee), which invites typos.
Registering the domain in a freelancer's or developer's account. Keep it in an account you control.
Letting auto-renew lapse. An expired domain can be bought by someone else once the grace period ends.

Troubleshooting

Many names show Unknown. Some registries do not answer quickly or at all. Check those names at the registrar.
No results. The maximum length is too short for your keywords, or every style is switched off. Raise the length or add styles.
You hit the daily limit. Each check covers up to 20 names and you get 30 checks a day. Names checked in the last few hours come from cache and do not use a check.
A name was Available here but taken at the registrar. Someone registered it in the meantime, or it is reserved. Pick your next favorite.

Who uses this generator

New store owners who need a .com or .shop that matches their store name.
Niche site builders checking many ideas quickly before buying.
Local businesses using the Local style for city-based names.
Freelancers and agencies shortlisting names with a client on a call.

Connect the domain to your store

On Shopify, go to Settings > Domains and choose Connect existing domain for a name bought elsewhere, or buy one directly there. Shopify's steps are in the Shopify Help Center. Then finish the look with the brand kit generator and a matching favicon. If the domain is for a content site instead of a store, the AI Site Builder in AM Jarvis can build the pages, schema and llms.txt on your own AI key.

Domain Name Generator with Availability Check