Website Basics
Website Name Examples
50+ real website name examples grouped by naming pattern — descriptive, coined, founder, keyword, and short names — plus good vs weak names and how your name, domain, and title fit together.
A website name is the word or phrase that identifies a site — what people say, type, and remember. For Basic Website Example the name is "Basic Website Example" and the domain is basicwebsiteexample.com. This page collects 50+ real website name examples grouped by the naming pattern behind them, so you can see what works and why before you name your own site. It is part of the website basics library.
What is a website name?
A website name is the label of the site itself — the brand, not the address. The search engine's website name is Google; its domain name is google.com. The two are often the same word, which is why they get confused, but they are separate things:
- Website name — the identity of the site (for example, Wikipedia).
- Domain name — the address you type into a browser (
wikipedia.org). - Page title — the text that appears in the browser tab and search results (for example, "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia").
You see the name in three places on every site: the browser tab (from the page title), the site header (the logo), and the address bar (the domain). This tiny mockup shows how a name, domain, and page title fit together on one screen:
<!doctype html>
<html lang='en'>
<head>
<meta charset='utf-8' />
<title>Northwind Coffee</title>
<style>
body { margin: 0; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; }
.bar { display: flex; gap: 8px; align-items: center; padding: 8px 12px; background: #e9e9ed; }
.url { flex: 1; padding: 4px 10px; border-radius: 6px; background: #fff; font-size: 13px; }
.site { max-width: 640px; margin: 32px auto; padding: 0 16px; }
header { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; }
.logo { font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: -0.02em; }
nav a { margin-left: 16px; color: #333; text-decoration: none; }
h1 { font-size: 40px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 40px 0 8px; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class='bar'><span class='url'>northwindcoffee.com</span></div>
<div class='site'>
<header>
<span class='logo'>Northwind Coffee</span>
<nav><a href='#shop'>Shop</a><a href='#story'>Story</a></nav>
</header>
<h1>Fresh roast, delivered.</h1>
<p>Northwind Coffee is the site name; northwindcoffee.com is the domain.</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
In that mockup, Northwind Coffee is the website name, northwindcoffee.com is the domain name, and "Northwind Coffee" in the tab is the page title.
Website name vs domain vs title
| Website name | Domain name | Page title | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | The brand that identifies the site | The address you type to reach it | The text shown in the tab and search results |
| Example (Amazon) | Amazon | amazon.com | "Amazon.com. Spend less. Smile more." |
| Where it appears | Logo, header, marketing | Address bar, links | Browser tab, search results |
| Easy to change? | Hard — it is your brand | Register a new one and redirect | Yes, per page, any time |
The page title is the one you can change freely on every page — see the website title examples guide. The domain follows from the name, and a clean name becomes a clean address — see website URL examples for the details.
50+ website name examples by pattern
Almost every strong website name follows one of the patterns below. Each table lists real sites, what they do, and why the name works.
Descriptive names
A descriptive name says what the site does in plain words.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Free encyclopedia | "wiki" + "encyclopedia" says exactly what it is |
| YouTube | Video sharing | "you" + "tube" (TV) describes user-made video |
| PayPal | Online payments | "pay" + "pal" says money with a friendly face |
| Booking.com | Hotel and flight booking | "booking" is the exact word people search for |
| TripAdvisor | Travel reviews | "trip" + "advisor" promises travel advice |
| GitHub | Code hosting | "git" (version control) + "hub" (meeting point) |
| OpenTable | Restaurant reservations | "open" + "table" describes booking a table |
| WebMD | Health information | "web" + "MD" says online medical information |
| Indeed | Job search | A short, real English word people already know |
| Dictionary.com | Dictionary | The domain is the search term itself |
Two-word compound names
Compound names push two meaningful words together so the meaning survives in a short name.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Blogging platform | "word" + "press" suggests writing and publishing |
| Professional network | "link" + "in" says connecting with people | |
| Basecamp | Project management | Evokes a team's home base |
| Mailchimp | Email marketing | "mail" plus a fun animal makes it memorable |
| Squarespace | Website builder | "square" + "space" suggests virtual real estate |
| Groupon | Deals marketplace | "group" + "coupon" squeezes two ideas into one word |
| Webflow | Website builder | "web" + "flow" describes smooth design |
| Shutterstock | Stock media | "shutter" (camera) + "stock" (library) |
| Priceline | Travel deals | "price" + "line" says you set the price |
Made-up (coined) names
A coined word is invented for the brand. When it is short and easy to say, it becomes the most distinctive kind of name.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| Search engine | A playful twist on "googol" — distinctive and brandable | |
| Kodak | Cameras | Coined to be easy to say in any language |
| Photo sharing | "instant" + "telegram" describes quick photo messages | |
| Link sharing | From "I read it" — the word explains the habit | |
| Zoom | Video meetings | A short, energetic word for fast connection |
| Canva | Design tool | A soft coinage from "canvas" |
| Figma | Design tool | Short, invented, easy to type |
| Trello | Task boards | From "trellis" — a framework ideas climb |
| Slack | Team chat | From "Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge" |
| Image sharing | "pin" + "interest" describes saving ideas | |
| Etsy | Handmade marketplace | Coined so it is pronounceable everywhere |
| Zillow | Real estate | Coined from "zillions of houses" |
| Zendesk | Customer support | Coined, friendly, and easy to say |
| Asana | Project management | "Asana" is a yoga pose — calm and precise |
| Notion | Productivity | A real word used as a short modern brand |
| Hulu | Streaming | Coined and easy to say on screen |
Founder and personal names
Using a person's name makes a site feel personal and is a natural fit for personal websites.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla | Electric cars | Named for inventor Nikola Tesla |
| Dell | Computers | Founder Michael Dell's surname |
| Disney | Entertainment | Walt Disney |
| McDonald's | Fast food | The McDonald brothers |
| Wendy's | Fast food | Founder Dave Thomas's daughter Wendy |
| Ben & Jerry's | Ice cream | Founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield |
| Ford | Cars | Henry Ford |
| Walmart | Retail | Sam Walton's surname + "mart" |
| HP | Computers | Founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard |
| paulgraham.com | Paul Graham's essays | A personal site named after its author |
| sethsgodin.com | Seth Godin's blog | A personal site named after its author |
For personal sites, your own name is usually the strongest brand. The personal website examples page shows how those sites are built.
Short and punchy names
Short names (four to six letters) are the easiest to say, type, and remember.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| X | Twitter's rebrand | A single letter is instantly distinctive |
| Yelp | Local reviews | Four letters, one syllable, memorable |
| Vimeo | Video hosting | Short, vowel-rich, easy to say |
| Tinder | Dating app | The word for something that catches fire — igniting a match |
| Bumble | Dating app | Short and friendly |
| Flickr | Photo sharing | From "flicker" — playful double letters |
| Mint | Personal finance | The word is short and pleasant |
| Box | File storage | A noun everyone knows, one syllable |
| Nest | Smart home | Warm, familiar, one word |
| Square | Payments | A common word with a simple meaning |
| Stripe | Payments | Short, clean, modern |
Keyword and exact-match names
These names use the exact word people type when they search, which makes the site instantly self-explanatory.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| Cars.com | Used cars | The domain is the search term |
| Hotels.com | Hotel booking | The domain is the search term |
| Insurance.com | Insurance quotes | The domain is the search term |
| Weather.com | Weather forecasts | The domain is the search term |
| Realtor.com | Real estate listings | The domain is the search term |
| AutoTrader | Vehicles | "auto" + "trader" says exactly what it does |
| Credit Karma | Credit scores | "credit" names the topic; "karma" adds personality |
| Bankrate | Banking rates | "bank" + "rate" is descriptive and keyword-rich |
| CheapTickets | Discount travel | "cheap" + "tickets" matches how people search |
Exact-match domains used to carry a ranking bonus; Google has publicly noted that they no longer give the advantage they once did, so pick a name for the brand first and let the words describe what you do second. See how these naming patterns play out on real company sites in the business website examples guide.
Acronym and abbreviated names
Acronyms compress a long name into a few letters. They work best when the full name is already well known.
| Website name | Full name | Why the acronym works |
|---|---|---|
| IMDb | Internet Movie Database | Four letters beat "internet movie database" in a tab |
| IKEA | Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd, Agunnaryd | The founder's initials make a global brand |
| BMW | Bayerische Motoren Werke | Shorter than the German original, sayable worldwide |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | Almost everyone recognizes the letters |
| CNN | Cable News Network | Instantly recognizable initials |
| HBO | Home Box Office | Distinctive initials for a TV brand |
| UPS | United Parcel Service | A familiar three-letter brand |
| MIT | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Short, iconic, unmistakable |
| AARP | American Association of Retired Persons | The initials fit where the full name would not |
| KFC | Kentucky Fried Chicken | Shortens a long restaurant name |
Names built with a modern suffix
Adding a familiar ending (-ly, -ify, -flix, -gram) to a real word makes a name feel new but still pronounceable.
| Website name | What it is | Why the name works |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify | Music streaming | "spot" + "-ify" turns a word into a verb-like brand |
| Shopify | Online stores | "shop" + "-ify" says "make a shop" |
| Netflix | Streaming | "net" + "flix" (slang for films) |
| Fiverr | Freelance gigs | "five" + an extra "r" — gigs started at $5 |
| Udemy | Online courses | "you" + "academy" |
| Coursera | Online courses | "course" + "-era" |
| Duolingo | Language learning | "duo" + "lingo" (language) |
| Tumblr | Blogging | From "tumblelog" — a quick blog |
| Brainly | Homework help | "brain" + "-ly" |
| Instacart | Grocery delivery | "instant" + "cart" |
Good vs weak website names
The names below are illustrative examples that show the difference between a name people can say, type, and remember and one they cannot.
| Instead of this (weak) | Try this (stronger) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| my-plumbing-business-final-2026.com | Summit Plumbing | Dates, numbers, and hyphens make a name hard to say and type |
| thebestaffordablehomeservicepros.net | Harbor Home Services | Stacking keywords makes a name forgettable; a short phrase sticks |
| xqz787studio.com | Foxframe Studio | Random letters and digits mean nothing and are easy to misspell |
| cheap-tickets-24-7-now.com | TripDesk | Keywords plus numerals read like spam; a clean brand reads better in a link |
| acmeplumbingnycbrooklynqueenslongisland.com | ACME Plumbing | A URL that is a whole sentence is impossible to type |
Naming formulas you can copy
Combine the patterns above with a fill-in-the-blank worksheet and test each name out loud:
# Website name worksheet
Your one-sentence description: ___
## Formulas (fill in and combine)
1. [What you do] + [Describing word] = ___
2. [Your name] + [What you do] = ___
3. [Place or thing] + [Fitting word] = ___
4. Two short words mashed together = ___
5. A real word, spelled differently = ___
6. A coined word built from a word = ___
## Shortlist (3-5 names)
| Name | Say it out loud | Domain available? | Final pick |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ___ | ___ | ___ | ___ |
## Final checks
- [ ] Easy to say and spell
- [ ] No odd meaning in another language
- [ ] Domain available (.com, .co, .io, or your country's TLD)
- [ ] Same handle free on the social channels you use
- [ ] Quick trademark search comes back clear
How to choose a website name
Follow these steps and you will end up with a shortlist you can defend:
- Describe the site in one sentence. "I sell handmade leather bags." That sentence is your naming raw material.
- Generate 10-15 candidates using the formulas above. Aim for at least three from each pattern you like.
- Say each one out loud. Cut any name you stumble over or that needs spelling out.
- Shortlist three to five and check the domain is available for each.
- Check social handles — the same name should be free on the channels you plan to use.
- Run a quick trademark search in the countries where you operate.
- Register your pick and buy the closest matching domains to protect the name.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is an example of a website name?
Is a website name the same as a domain name?
What is a good name for a personal website?
How long should a website name be?
Does my website name affect SEO?
Can my website name be different from my domain?
Once the name is set, the pages behind it need their own plan — see website structure examples for the page hierarchy that carries your name.