Naming an AI product, the good .com words are long gone while .ai availability is far higher and pricing reasonable. Here's how to search efficiently and the details people miss.
Choosing a lookup tool
Instant Domain Search — fastest results
Shows registration status across suffixes as you type, no repeated submissions. Best for sweeping dozens of candidates in one sitting, and it suggests similar available names.
Query.Domains / NameBeta — bulk and price comparison
These lean toward bulk queries and cross-registrar price comparison. First-year prices for the same suffix can differ widely between registrars — and renewal prices differ even more, so compare before buying.
VirusTotal — check the history before buying
This step gets skipped and shouldn't be. An expired domain may have been used for spam or malicious content and carries an existing blacklist record. One check before purchase avoids a class of problems that's very hard to clean up.
Registrars: where to buy
- Namecheap — established, simple UI, Alipay support, frequent first-year promo codes.
- Spaceship — a newer brand from the Namecheap team, usually cheaper on both first year and renewal.
Two practical notes: prioritize renewal price over first-year price, since many registrars bait with cheap entry and double it in year two; and confirm whether WHOIS privacy is bundled, because some charge separately.
A few naming angles
- Shorter is better. Short domains are easier to remember and say aloud, which is valuable during cold start.
- Avoid hyphens and digits. Both add friction when spoken or typed.
- Prefer functional words over abstract ones. Users search by function, and having it in the domain helps discoverability.
- Check trademarks before registering. Especially for Western markets, a collision can force a rename.
A domain won't make or break a product, but a forgettable one quietly taxes every share. An hour of choosing beats migrating after launch.