Proper Name Domains

[WhiteWebServices]

Is there any reason not to register propername.com domains (e.g. johndoe.com)? I'm not thinking major celebrities (more like minor authors), but I would be hoping for a few type-ins. What's the worst that can happen?

 

[mojojo]

if the name isn't a trade mark I don't think you will find any problem. Well, if you don't develope an insulting site about the name owner :P

 

[Fleege]

can't see why you would want to.

some last names maybe but a first last combo - no way. why?

 

[fonzie_007]

Can anyone say a site like billclinton.com or georgew.com wouldn't be worth a pretty penny? I agree that last (surnames) names are preferrable, but on some well known names, it doesn't hurt getting the first and last combo. I am sure if johnsmith.com and jonsmith.com were available, you would make some good money. (this was a generic example and I am aware than there is a beer called John Smiths)

 

[WhiteWebServices]

What got me interested was that the name.com of a person related to my main site is available, but the .net is gone (parked) and someone else has a typo 301ed to their site. That made me wonder if there's much traffic in it, and got me looking to see whether other similar names are gone.

 

[fonzie_007]

I'm still after the person with my last name. He has had the domain regged since the mid 90's and refuses to sell it... Frustrating... (considering the fact he doesn't even have the same last name as me)

 

[Phronesis]

Do a test run with one name. Worse you can lose is reg fee.

 

[WhiteWebServices]

Do a test run with one name. Worse you can lose is reg fee.

Sounds like a good suggestion. A wasted reg fee I can afford. (It was only lawyers' fees I was concerned about.)

 

[Fleege]

I could see it for celebs but not for small timers or nobodies. Now purely a last name would be something but those are hard to come by.

I was lucky to get my last name fleege as a .com. Had it for a few years before as another TLD - then the .com owner tried to sell it to me - wasnt into domains back then so I passed - but then I checked a few months later suspecting that the domain was about to expire and sure enough I got it as a reg. That was in 2002.

Do people sometime mistake the address bar for the built in search..probably but then they also probably add the space between first and last name. So my point is - a last name yes. a combo I'd pass unless it was a celeb or something super common like www.BILLsmith.com

But I hope I am wrong. Let us know the result of your test. Cheers

 

[WhiteWebServices]

I'll report back to you in a few days. As I said, the fact that a couple of 'lesser' variants are gone gives me hope (but only a little).

 

[blackwizard]

UNless it is not a registered trademark name , it would not create a problem.if u want a registred trademark name to be put up you need to ask the permission of the author!

 

[WhiteWebServices]

It's definitely not a trademark, so it sounds like I should be in the clear. It's not looking great for natural traffic, though; think I'll chuck it a couple of links and see if I can get it to rank.

 

[cache]

how much traffic for your lastname domain if I may ask?

I could see it for celebs but not for small timers or nobodies. Now purely a last name would be something but those are hard to come by.

I was lucky to get my last name fleege as a .com. Had it for a few years before as another TLD - then the .com owner tried to sell it to me - wasnt into domains back then so I passed - but then I checked a few months later suspecting that the domain was about to expire and sure enough I got it as a reg. That was in 2002.

Do people sometime mistake the address bar for the built in search..probably but then they also probably add the space between first and last name. So my point is - a last name yes. a combo I'd pass unless it was a celeb or something super common like www.BILLsmith.com

But I hope I am wrong. Let us know the result of your test. Cheers