NameBounce said that a domain name I wanted was available, but it was registered. Why?

This is due to the method that we use to check results.

Unfortunately, if we did a definitive check on every domain name that we generated, the site would be extremely slow. On top of that, the domain registries would ban our servers, so we couldn't offer our service to anyone. This is why we double-check that the name is available before we forward you to SiteGround.

You’ll likely find more of this occurring with country code domain extensions like .in. In many countries, the domain registries, which are the official authority on whether a domain is available to register, do not give the public access to official lists of registered domains.

We are working on a feature that will eliminate this problem entirely over time. We'll make sure to post an update when it's implemented!

My favorites list disappeared. Why did this happen?

We store the domain names on your favorites list in a cookie within your browser. If you delete your browser's cookies, your favorites list will be deleted. If you are planning to clear your cookies, we recommend pasting the favorited domain names into a separate document ahead of time.

What is the best way to use NameBounce?

There are two main search options. I like to call them untargeted (one-word) and targeted (two-word) searches.

Untargeted one-word searches are the best way to start. When you enter one word, we'll add a generic list of popular words to return new domain name ideas. For example, if you wanted to start a frozen yogurt company and searched for "yogurt," you'd get names like "YogurtTV" and "ShopYogurt." You'll find some helpful domain names in here, but you'll notice that many of them are less relevant to the frozen yogurt company.

Targeted two-word searches allow you to narrow down your results. When you enter "frozen yogurt", we'll either substitute new related words for either "frozen" or "yogurt" in each domain name we return. The substituted words are related to the original keywords. As an example, you'll see names like "NorthYogurt" and "FrozenDip," which are much more relevant to a frozen yogurt company.

One other important note is that if you don't put a space in between your keywords, you won't get any keyword substitutions. Searching "frozen yogurt" will get you the results in the "targeted" paragraph above, while searching "frozenyogurt" will get you results like "FrozenyogurtTV" and "ShopFrozenyogurt."

If you run a few searches on the site, you'll start to get the hang of using it, and your searches will naturally begin to become more targeted.

What was your thought process behind the NameBounce name?

Good question! These were the main factors:

  • The generator works by bouncing different domain name ideas off of you until you find one that you want to register.
  • NameBounce is easy to spell and understand when spoken in person. It is also only two syllables.
  • The .com domain name was unregistered. While there were some affordable options on the secondary market, I wanted to show users that it is still possible to find a strong unregistered .com domain.
  • We want to help you make finding your business name a fun process! Using a word like bounce allows us to brand the website in a way that is consistent with that goal.

Someone else registered a name that I was searching for on NameBounce. What happened?

Domain names are unique, one-of-a-kind assets that are in extremely high demand. On average, there are 18 million domain names registered each year (almost 50,000 per day). In total, there are more domain names registered than there are people in the United States!

Great domain names become harder and harder to find by the day. Please keep in mind that many people are searching, and someone else may think of the same domain name idea. If you see a domain name you like, it’s good practice to secure it as soon as you can.

We don’t front-run and won’t work with anyone who does this. Not only would this cause our users not to trust us, but if you don’t believe us, a registrar previously got caught doing this and had to pay a significant settlement in a class-action lawsuit. It is bad business sense in every way, and simply not the right thing to do.

How do I choose a good name?

Check out our Naming Advice page.

I have a partnership opportunity for you. How can I get in touch?

We’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to get in touch using this email address.