6.9 KiB
6.9 KiB
Domain Availability Research
When to use: Before registering a domain — research which names are available, check WHOIS/DNS, generate creative alternatives, and compare pricing.
Workflow: 3-Prong Validation
Do NOT rely on a single check. The registry WHOIS database can lag or return stale data. Always run all three checks:
Check 1 — VeriSign WHOIS (authoritative for .com/.net/.edu)
whois <domain> 2>&1 | grep "No match for domain"
- Available:
No match for domain "EXAMPLE.COM"— domain is not registered - Taken: Returns registry domain ID, creation date, expiry, name servers
- Rate note: On fresh installs,
apt-get install -y whoisfirst - Limitation: Only covers .com, .net, .edu domains at the VeriSign registry level. For other TLDs (.io, .org, .co, .app, etc.), use a registrar's check endpoint or DNS lookup instead.
Check 2 — DNS NXDOMAIN verification
nslookup <domain> 2>&1 | grep "NXDOMAIN"
- Available: Returns
NXDOMAIN— no DNS records exist - Taken: Returns one or more IP addresses
- Works for ANY TLD, not just .com
- A DNS lookup returning
NXDOMAINbut WHOIS showing "No match" confirms availability from two angles
Check 3 — HTTP redirect/resolve check
curl -sk -o /dev/null -w '%{http_code} %{redirect_url}' https://<domain> 2>&1
- Sometimes a domain is registered but parked (HTTP 200/302 lander page) — means it's taken but possibly for sale
- NXDOMAIN from Check 2 + timeout/slow from Check 3 = definitely available
- A fast 200/302 response means someone owns it or a registrar has a landing page up
Important: DNS vs WHOIS discrepancies
A domain can show "No match" in WHOIS yet resolve in DNS. This happens with:
- Very recent registrations (WHOIS database hasn't propagated yet — up to 24h lag)
- Domain was just registered but the WHOIS caching layer hasn't refreshed
- Resolution: If WHOIS says "No match" but DNS resolves, the domain was likely registered within the last few hours. Mark as "likely taken — verify again in 24h."
Generating Creative Domain Names
Formula patterns
| Pattern | Example | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
{theme}{keyword}.com |
sharkfantasy.com |
Direct, brandable |
{theme}ff.com |
sharkattackff.com |
"FF" = fantasy football shorthand |
{theme}draft.com |
jawsdraft.com |
Highlights the draft mechanic |
{theme}league.com |
chumleague.com |
Wordplay: chum = shark bait |
{theme}szn.com |
jawsszn.com |
Sports seasons slang (SZN) |
{wordplay}league.com |
toothyleague.com |
Fun, playful, memorable |
{compound}league.com |
finomenalleague.com |
"Fin" + phenomenal |
{anatomy}picks.com |
dorsalpicks.com |
Shark anatomy + draft picks |
{slang}league.com |
sharkattackseason.com |
"Season" = sports league |
{chum-themed}{keyword}.com |
chumdraft.com, predapick.com |
Short, wordplay, edgy |
Criteria for good names
- ≤15 characters ideal (fits URLs, social handles, easy to type)
- No hyphens if possible (people forget them, look spammy)
- Avoid numbers unless part of brand (e.g., Web3 names with 3)
- Easy to spell after hearing it once (the "radio test")
- Avoid trademarked terms (e.g., "Feeding Frenzy" — EA owns it)
- Avoid names that sound like existing products or confuse the brand
Registrar Pricing Reference (as of Jul 2026)
| Registrar | .com (1yr) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | $10.46 | At-cost, no markup — best value. Registration/renewal/transfer all same price. |
| Namecheap | ~$10–$14 | Often has first-year promos, reliable API |
| Porkbun | ~$10–$12 | Good mid-tier, simple interface |
| GoDaddy | ~$12–$18 | Renewals higher; good for premium/auction domains |
| HugeDomains | Premium | Marketplace for already-registered domains, often $1K+ |
Best practice: Use Cloudflare Registrar for new registrations if the site will use Cloudflare DNS anyway. If another registrar, transfer to Cloudflare later.
Premium/aftermarket domains
fantasyfrenzy.com→ HugeDomains (likely $1K+)apexshark.com→ GoDaddy Auctions ($2,500 or $834/mo lease-to-own)- Before pursuing a premium domain, check if an available creative alternative exists first (usually does at $10.46)
Venue-Specific Domain Availability Checks
Cloudflare Registrar API (requires token with Registrar Admin permission)
ACCT_ID=$(curl -s "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" | python3 -c "import sys,json;print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('result',[{}])[0].get('id',''))")
curl -s "https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/accounts/$ACCT_ID/registrar/domains/example.com/check" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"
Returns: available, can_register, premium, supported_tld, fees.registration_fee, fees.renewal_fee, fees.transfer_fee.
Pitfalls:
- This is GET, not POST. POST returns "Page not found"
- Domain name goes in URL path, not as query param or request body
- Requires
Account → Registrar → Adminpermission token (standard DNS-only token won't work) - See
cloudflare-dns-and-domainsumbrella skill for full token setup
Deliverable Format
After researching, compile a ranked report with:
- SECTION A: Initial List — the domains the user asked about, each with status + note
- SECTION B: Creative Alternatives — original ideas generated by the research, checked for availability
- SECTION C: Top Recommendations — 3-5 ranked picks with rationale
- SECTION D: Strategy — which to register now vs. consider vs. skip
- Pricing — Cloudflare at-cost as baseline ($10.46/.com), note premiums
Rating scale
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Short (≤12 chars), brandable, descriptive, no issues
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Good option, slightly longer or less obvious
- ⭐⭐⭐ = Decent but long or less catchy
- ⭐⭐ = Functional but not ideal
- ⭐ = Skip (taken, premium, confusing)
Pitfalls
- WHOIS not installed — on minimal Linux installs,
whoismay not be present. Runapt-get install -y whoisfirst. - WHOIS rate limits — VeriSign applies rate limiting at high query volumes (exact threshold undocumented). If queries start failing with connection errors, space them out or use DNS as a lighter alternative. For 20+ domains, batch with a loop + 0.5s delay.
- Premium domain price shock — a "taken" domain at a marketplace like GoDaddy or HugeDomains can cost $500-$5,000+. Always check creative alternatives first at $10.46.
- "No match" with DNS resolution — domain was likely registered in the last few hours. Cross-check again in 24h.
- New TLDs (.app, .dev, .io, etc.) — WHOIS check via VeriSign only covers .com/.net/.edu. For other TLDs, use DNS NXDOMAIN + Cloudflare check API + registrar's own lookup. Many new TLDs require HSTS preloading (.app, .dev) which can cause redirect issues with http-only test pages.