The fastest way to find
a name that matters
AI-powered domain search that shows you what's available in real-time. No loading spinners. No terrible suggestions. Just instant results.
Instant availability
Results stream as you type. See what's available across .com, .ai, .io, .co, .dev, and .app without clicking search.
Smart suggestions
AI generates brandable alternatives you'd never think of. Context-aware TLD recommendations based on your industry.
6 extensions that matter
No overwhelming lists of 800+ mediocre options. Just the TLDs that serious brands actually use.
How it works
Type your idea
Type "payments" and instantly see payments.com (taken), payments.ai (available), payments.dev (available). No waiting.
AI suggests alternatives
Claude analyzes your keyword and generates brandable variations: paymentsHQ, getPayments, payFlow. Available domains in green, taken in red.
Claim your domain
Click "Claim" on any available domain. We'll send you to the best registrar with competitive pricing.
Why people are switching
- Real-time results as you type
- Claude AI-powered suggestions
- Smart TLD recommendations by industry
- Clean, fast, zero upsells
- Keyboard shortcuts (⌘K)
- Click search, wait 3-5 seconds
- Basic algorithms, mediocre names
- 800+ TLDs in alphabetical order
- Cluttered with ads and upsells
- Slow, outdated UX
Built for modern teams
Startup founders
Type your idea, get AI-generated names in seconds. Stripe-quality suggestions, not "myStartup" or "startupPro" garbage.
Designers
Zero ads, zero upsells. Type, see results, register. Perfect for portfolio domains (yourname.design) or client projects.
Developers
Smart TLD matching detects your stack. Building an API? Get .dev suggestions. AI tool? .ai domains appear first.
Side projects
Most people waste an hour searching domains. You'll find yours in 2 minutes. Stop deliberating, start shipping.
Real-time checking
Results appear as you type—no waiting for searches to complete. GoDaddy makes you wait 3-5 seconds per search.
Claude AI integration
Claude 4.5 generates brandable names based on meaning, not just keyword mashing. Stripe, Notion, Linear quality—not "getMyStartup.biz".
Extension guide
.com
The gold standard
Most trusted extension worldwide. 78% of websites use .com for good reason.
.ai
AI & tech startups
Perfect for AI products. OpenAI, Stability.ai, Character.ai all use .ai.
.io
Developer favorite
Go-to for SaaS and dev tools. GitHub, Notion use .io.
.dev
Built for developers
Google-owned, HTTPS required. Perfect for APIs and frameworks.
.co
The .com alternative
Short, professional. Twitter (t.co), AngelList (angel.co) use .co.
.app
For applications
Google-owned for web and mobile apps. Requires HTTPS.
Common questions
Alternatives to traditional search tools
Looking for alternatives to GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Lean Domain Search? Traditional domain search tools suffer from the same core problems: slow loading times, overwhelming lists of mediocre suggestions, and cluttered interfaces filled with upsells.
GoDaddy domain search requires clicking search, waiting 3-5 seconds, then manually checking each TLD. Their AI suggestions are basic—mostly adding prefixes like "get" or "my" to your keyword.
Namecheap domain search offers better pricing but the same slow experience. You type, click, wait, scroll through hundreds of extensions you'll never use.
Lean Domain Search pioneered real-time suggestions but shut down in 2020. InstantName brings that instant feedback back—with modern AI that actually understands brandability and industry context.
Domain.com and Name.com focus on enterprise sales. Their tools are optimized for bulk purchases, not founders who need one great name quickly.
InstantName is built specifically for founders, developers, and designers who value speed, clean UX, and intelligent suggestions. No ads, no upsells, just the best domain search experience available.
Expert tips for choosing your domain name
Keep it short and memorable
The best domain names are under 15 characters. Short names are easier to remember, type, and share verbally. Think Stripe, Notion, Linear—all under 10 characters.
Avoid hyphens and numbers
Domains with hyphens (my-startup.com) or numbers (startup4you.com) look unprofessional and confuse people when spoken aloud. Stick to letters only.
Choose the right extension
.com is the gold standard, but modern TLDs like .ai, .io, and .dev are perfectly acceptable for tech companies. Match your extension to your industry—AI startups use .ai, developer tools use .dev.
Make it pronounceable
If you can't explain your domain over the phone without spelling it letter by letter, it's too complex. Test it with friends before buying.
Check trademark conflicts
Before committing to a domain, search USPTO.gov to ensure no existing trademarks conflict with your chosen name. Save yourself legal headaches later.
Buy multiple extensions defensively
If yourname.com is available, also grab yourname.io and yourname.ai to prevent competitors or domain squatters from confusing your customers.
Don't overthink it
Google was a misspelling. Yahoo was nonsense. Your brand matters more than your domain. Find something good enough and start building—you can always rebrand later if needed.
Act fast on good names
Great domain names get claimed quickly. If you find one you love and it's available, register it immediately. Domain parking is cheap compared to buying from resellers later.
Why real-time domain availability matters
Traditional domain search is broken. You type a name, click search, wait 3-5 seconds for results, realize the .com is taken, modify your search, and repeat. This cycle wastes hours of your time and kills creative momentum.
Real-time availability checking changes everything. The moment you type "awesome", you already know awesome.com is taken but awesome.dev is available. You keep typing, iterating, exploring—all without waiting for slow search results.
This instant feedback loop is how modern tools should work. You don't wait for Google search results to load. You don't wait for autocomplete suggestions. Why should domain search be different?
Combined with AI-powered suggestions, real-time search becomes exponentially more powerful. As you type, Claude AI analyzes your keyword and generates brandable alternatives instantly. Not random combinations—actual company-worthy names that fit your industry.
How to choose a domain name in 2026
Keep it short and memorable
The best domain names are under 15 characters. Short names are easier to type, remember, and share verbally. Think of successful brands: Stripe (6 chars), Notion (6 chars), Linear (6 chars). Each could have chosen something longer and more descriptive, but simplicity wins.
Avoid hyphens and numbers
Domains with hyphens (my-startup.com) or numbers (startup4you.com) are harder to communicate verbally. When someone asks "what's your website?" you don't want to say "my dash startup dot com" or explain whether it's "four" or "for".
Choose the right extension for your industry
While .com remains the gold standard, modern TLDs like .ai, .io, and .dev are perfectly acceptable for tech companies. AI startups should consider .ai, developer tools work well with .dev or .io, and SaaS products can use .co as a .com alternative.
Make it easy to spell and pronounce
If you can't explain your domain over the phone without spelling it letter by letter, it's too complex. Avoid clever misspellings unless you're already a well-known brand. Test it with friends before committing.
Check for trademark conflicts
Before committing to a domain, search USPTO.gov and your local trademark database. Finding the perfect available domain only to discover it conflicts with an existing trademark can be costly. Better to check early and avoid legal issues later.
Domain naming mistakes to avoid
Being too clever
Unusual spellings like "Flickr" or "Tumblr" only work if you have massive marketing budgets. For most startups, clear beats clever.
Choosing obscure TLDs
Extensions like .xyz, .club, or .biz can make your brand look less professional. Stick to .com, .ai, .io, .co, .dev, or .app.
Not buying defensive registrations
If yourname.com is available, grab yourname.io and yourname.ai too. Prevents competitors and domain squatters from confusing your customers.
Overthinking the decision
Google was a misspelling. Yahoo was nonsense. Your brand matters more than your domain. Find something good enough and start building.
Best domain extensions by industry
AI & Machine Learning Startups → .ai
Perfect for AI products and ML tools. Companies like OpenAI (openai.com), Stability AI (stability.ai), and Character.AI use .ai to instantly communicate their focus.
Examples: yourstartup.ai, toolname.ai, productname.ai
Developer Tools & SaaS → .dev or .io
.dev is Google-owned and requires HTTPS, making it perfect for APIs and frameworks. .io has become the standard for SaaS products targeting developers.
Examples: api.dev, toolname.io, framework.dev
Mobile & Web Apps → .app
Google-owned extension specifically for applications. Requires HTTPS and clearly communicates that you're an app, not a website.
Examples: yourapp.app, mobile.app, webapp.app
General Startups & .com Alternatives → .co
Short, professional, and widely recognized as a legitimate .com alternative. Used by major companies like Twitter (t.co) and AngelList (angel.co).
Examples: startup.co, brand.co, company.co
How InstantName compares
| InstantName | GoDaddy | Namecheap | Domain.com | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time results | ||||
| AI-powered suggestions | ||||
| Clean interface | ||||
| No ads or upsells | ||||
| TLD strategy | Curated | Everything | Everything | Everything |
| Average search time | Instant | 3-5 sec | 2-4 sec | 3-6 sec |
The future of domain search
Finding a domain name shouldn't take hours. Traditional tools make you wait, click, and manually check extensions.
InstantName is different. Real-time availability as you type. Claude AI suggests brandable alternatives instantly.
Faster than any other tool. What used to take hours now takes minutes.