Silly domain names
01/04/2009
In our article on selecting domain names we mention that you must check that your choice of domain name does not “look different” when written down.
Domain names of multiple keywords joined together can appear to be a different set of keywords if the letters happen to form different words. The example we gave was a fairly harmless example:
A toy store based in the village of Uckfield will be ill advised to use the domain name www.toysUckfield.com as when written as www.toysuckfield.com it reads very differently.
But there are many more amusing ones – some are actually in use.
An Arts Festival in San Francisco really does have a website called www.sfarts.org. maybe the silly name works as a marketing advantage. Other examples from the Art world include www.bitefartcafe.co.yu which is a cafe at the Belgrade International Theatre Festival.
Looking for an Expert? Want to exchange advice and views, then how about www.Expertsexchange.com?
Sexy websites are very common on the Internet, and some are seasonal, promoting just the winter season – try www.WinterSexPress.com
But knowing the sex of a website can be difficult without background information. Fans of the Mr Men should know that www.mrsneese.com has nothing to do with Mrs Neese.
Children’s websites you might think are more sensible, but remember that children’s language simply copies their parents or TV – hence the www.childrenSwear.co.uk website.
The Power Generation Industry should be safe – except in Italy! How about www.powergenitalia.it?
Head west towards Spain and choose Spain for your holiday – especially if you are a sadist. – www.choosesPain.com
Celebrities have agents to represent them and arrange their publicity. So Who Respresents will give details of the agents for particular celebrities, but would you want to be listed on www.whorepresents.com?
An old chestnut is Pen Island - www.penisland.net - which unbelievably at least at first sight appears to be a website devoted to customisable pens.
Some domain names simply tell (intentionally or not) or the service level – so what do you make of www.webad.ie ? [Note, we have no evidence of the actual quality of any services this company provide....].
Others have become famous for what they are not. The rapist finder is a good example, with the website www.therapistfinder.com still in business despite a silly domain name. If you would rather not find a rapist but fancy stalking someone instead, then there is the teacher stalking website at www.Teacherstalk.com.
Abbreviations cause havoc as well. What do you expect at http://scam-online.co.uk/? Certainly not a motorcycle club.
Some of the silly domain names have now become valuable in their own right, and the “Art” website www.speedofart.com appears to gain money from sponsored ads and banners.
