Matching Company name and domain name

[sir k]

Hi,

This is my first post after reading a fair amount, and I've learned quite a lot from here...so thanks for that.

I'm looking to start contracting and was after some advice with regards to domain names and company names.

I have a company name in mind - let's say 'MyComp' for now. The company name itself is available but the domain name isn't, so 'MyComp dot com' isn't available. however 'MyCompIT dot com' is available.

Would it be a bad idea/not do-able to have MyComp as my company name and MyCompIT as the domain name? would it just be better/safer/save a lot of hassle to chose MyCompIT as both the domain name and the company name? I only ask as i like the name itself (without the 'IT' suffix), and it gives me the ability to use it for something other than IT (you never know, right?)

also, should i be fussed about .co.uk vs .com anymore or is that really not a thing to worry about these days and in this context (i.e. for an IT contractor)

Thanks in advance!

[northernladuk]

Web sites are pretty useless for contractors. Very few of us have them so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. If you have aspirations above and beyond then I guess it might be an issue.

Some large companies have different Web addresses to their names. Charles thywitt is one I noticed today so not an issue really.

[Lance]

you're thinking is very 1990s

Nobody cares about domain names unless they're multinationals. And they just make names up (Google, Amazon, Ebay).
Almost everybody who emails is replying to an email or using a contact they've inputted so memorability isn't a concern.

And you're just a one man band. Plenty of contractors just use a gmail account.

I use a domain name that matches and has email, website, etc. but I work in infrastructure/cloud/security/messaging so use all the enterprise tools that are available as that's my trade. If you're a dev/PM/BA then don't bother.

[simes]

"YOUR thinking is very..."

Anyway, it depends on the character and personality of the one asking. If the chap wants a matching company name and domain name, then so be it.

Perhaps suggest going for one of the very many suffix variations instead of the .co.uk or .com ones. In which case, subject to one of them being available, everyone stays happy.

[fidot]

You could use mycomp.ltd.uk

[Lance]

"YOUR thinking is very..."

Anyway, it depends on the character and personality of the one asking. If the chap wants a matching company name and domain name, then so be it.

Perhaps suggest going for one of the very many suffix variations instead of the .co.uk or .com ones. In which case, subject to one of them being available, everyone stays happy.

Oops. Spill chucker at fault.

Another variation is mycomp-ltd.com

[pauldee]

Register the domain before registering the company, or the squatters will get in there before you when they see your company registered on Companies House.

[LondonManc]

Web sites are pretty useless for contractors. Very few of us have them so I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. If you have aspirations above and beyond then I guess it might be an issue.

Some large companies have different Web addresses to their names. Charles thywitt is one I noticed today so not an issue really.

How many contractors have you asked?

[northernladuk]

How many contractors have you asked?

Plenty of threads on here in the past that have asked the question plus working in contractor heavy environments so quite a few.

[Hobosapien]

You could use mycomp.ltd.uk

There's also .uk if the old adage 'must be .com or at least .co.uk' no longer matters.

https://www.nominet.uk/domains/our-domains/uk-domains/

It's down to personal preference as unless you market it far and wide there will only be yourself and a very limited audience ever trying to access it. Main thing is to avoid things like dashes or anything that makes it easy to mistype. Also check any almost identical domain names aren't dodgy.