gavinmcfall/domain-expert

Domain Expert

A good domain name is heard once and typed correctly forever. This skill helps you find one.

Tools Available

The instant-domain-search MCP server provides three tools. Use ToolSearch to load them before calling.

| Tool | Input | Use When | |------|-------|----------| | search_domains | name (no TLD), optional tlds[], limit (1-100) | Sweeping a name across TLDs | | generate_domain_variations | name, optional sort (rank|distance), limit | First choice is taken, need alternatives | | check_domain_availability | domains[] (full FQDNs like "example.com") | Definitive yes/no on specific domains |

No auth required. Queries authoritative registries directly (Verisign, PIR). No front-running risk. If the MCP server is unavailable, proceed with brainstorm and evaluation — flag availability as unverified.

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Capsule: TheRadioTest

Invariant Say the domain once on the phone. If the listener can't type it correctly, the name fails.

Example "Check out stripe dot com" — everyone gets it right. "Check out flickr dot com" — "f-l-i-c-k-e-r?" Fail. //BOUNDARY: A name that passes the radio test can still be bad (boring, generic, taken). But a name that fails it is always bad.

Depth

• This is the single most important rejection filter. SoundShape drives generation; RadioTest filters the results.
• Homophones kill: "their/there", "to/too/two", "write/right"
• Numbers kill: "four" vs "4", "won" vs "one"
• Unusual spellings kill: dropped vowels (Tumblr, Flickr) trade memorability for cleverness
• Hyphens kill: nobody remembers where the hyphen goes

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Capsule: SoundShape

Invariant The best domain names follow consonant-vowel patterns with trochaic stress (STRONG-weak syllable).

Example Google (GOO-gle), Canva (CAN-va), Figma (FIG-ma), Stripe (one strong syllable). All follow CVCV or CVC patterns with front-loaded stress. //BOUNDARY: Sound shape makes a name pleasant to say. It doesn't make it meaningful, available, or brandable. Sound is necessary but not sufficient.

Depth

• CVCV is the universally easiest pattern to pronounce across all languages
• Plosive consonants (p, b, t, d, k, g) are empirically overrepresented in successful brand names — they create crisp, memorable onsets
• Front vowels (ee, i as in "bit") connote speed, lightness, precision — Wii, Zip, Figma
• Back vowels (oo, oh, aw) connote size, weight, depth — Google, Roku, Zoom
• Match the vowel character to the brand character
• Avoid: "sl-" onset (slime, slug associations), "-ump" endings, consonant clusters that require effort (strengths, sixths)
• Two syllables is the sweet spot. Three is fine if the stress pattern is clear. Four is almost always too many.

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Capsule: Memorability

Invariant Shorter names are more memorable, with a 2% traffic penalty per character beyond seven.

Example The premium zone is 4-8 characters. "Stripe" (6), "Canva" (5), "Figma" (5), "Notion" (6). Names beyond 11 characters fight an uphill battle. //BOUNDARY: Length is a proxy. A 12-character name that's two clear English words (StackOverflow) can outperform a 5-character name that's unpronounceable (Xzqwy).

Depth

• .com domains are 33% more memorable than equivalent names on other TLDs (GrowthBadger, n=1,500)
• Users default to typing .com 3.8x more often when misremembering a URL
• Concrete imagery words are recalled better than abstract ones (dual-coding theory): Nest, Stripe, Amazon, Apple
• An invented word that nonetheless evokes an image gets some of this benefit: Spotify (spot + identify)

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Capsule: HiddenWords

Invariant Before recommending any concatenated domain, check every possible word-break reading.

Example "penisland.net" reads as "pen island" to the creator but not to everyone else. "choosespain.com" contains "chooses pain". "therapistfinder.com" contains "the rapist finder". //BOUNDARY: This check is non-negotiable. Always mentally slide a word-break cursor across the full string left to right and note every readable substring.

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Capsule: BrandableVsExactMatch

Invariant Brandable names (invented or evocative) build more long-term equity than exact-match domains.

Example "CheapFlights.com" describes the product but has no brand identity. "Kayak.com" evokes exploration and is defensible as a trademark. Brandable names can expand into adjacent markets; exact-match names are locked to their keyword. //BOUNDARY: Exact-match domains still work for small niche sites or local businesses where discoverability matters more than brand.

Depth

• Trademark strength hierarchy: Fanciful (strongest) > Arbitrary > Suggestive > Descriptive (weakest)
• Google, Kodak, Xerox — fanciful, meaningless words, maximum legal protection
• Apple (for computers) — arbitrary, real word in unrelated context, strong protection
• Netflix — suggestive, hints at the service, moderate protection
• CheapTickets — descriptive, almost no trademark protection
• Oversaturated patterns to avoid: -ify, -ly, -io, -er (vowel-drop), get[X].com, [X]hub.com

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Registrar Coverage

When to Use Which

| Situation | Registrar | Why | |-----------|-----------|-----| | Best price, tech-savvy user | Cloudflare | At-cost pricing, zero markup, great DNS | | Widest TLD selection | Namecheap | 567 TLDs, free WHOIS privacy | | .au or .com.au domains | CrazyDomains | auDA-accredited, full AU/NZ support | | .de, .fr, .eu domains | Namecheap | Cloudflare and CrazyDomains have gaps here |

TLD Support Comparison

See references/registrar-tlds.md for detailed coverage tables.

Critical gaps to know without looking it up:

• Cloudflare cannot register .au/.com.au — use CrazyDomains or Namecheap
• Cloudflare cannot register .de, .fr, .eu, .jp — use Namecheap
• CrazyDomains charges extra for TXT/SRV DNS records — matters for email verification (SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
• All three support .com, .net, .org, .io, .ai, .dev, .app, .co, .me, .nz/.co.nz

Pricing Models

| Registrar | Model | WHOIS Privacy | |-----------|-------|---------------| | Cloudflare | At-cost (registry price + ICANN fee, zero markup) | Free (redacted by default) | | Namecheap | Retail with frequent promotions | Free on most TLDs | | CrazyDomains | Retail pricing | Paid add-on ("Domain Guard") |

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The Search Workflow

1. Brainstorm — Generate 5-10 candidate names. Apply SoundShape and RadioTest mentally.
2. Sweep — Use search_domains to check candidates across target TLDs.
3. Expand — For taken names, use generate_domain_variations with sort=rank for best alternatives.
4. Verify — Use check_domain_availability for the shortlist (definitive yes/no).
5. Evaluate — Score finalists against the evaluation criteria below.
6. Match registrar — Check references/registrar-tlds.md to confirm the target TLD is supported where the user wants to register.

Evaluating a Domain Name

When presenting options, assess each name against these dimensions:

| Dimension | Question | Weight | |-----------|----------|--------| | Sound | Does it roll off the tongue? (CVCV, trochaic, plosive onset) | High | | Radio test | Can someone hear it once and type it? | High | | Length | Under 8 characters? Under 12? | Medium | | Imagery | Does it evoke something concrete? | Medium | | Brandability | Trademark defensible? Room to grow? | Medium | | Namespace | Does it collide with established brands in the same industry? | Medium | | TLD | Is .com available? If not, is the alternative TLD credible for this audience? (.io has near-.com credibility for developer tools) | Medium | | Hidden words | Any embarrassing substrings? | Pass/fail | | Global safety | Any negative meanings in other languages? | Check |

Don't score numerically. Use natural language: "This name sounds crisp, passes the radio test, and the .com is available — strong candidate." or "This has a nice ring but the -ify suffix is overused and .com is taken — consider alternatives."

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Reference Files

• references/registrar-tlds.md — Detailed TLD coverage per registrar, special requirements, notable gaps

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The best domain name is the one nobody has to ask you to spell.