How to Choose and Register a Domain Name
Steve Halabi
October 13, 2025
Choose a clear, brand-safe name and register it today.
You need:
A Hover account.
A payment method you can use today.
Three to five name ideas that are easy to say and spell.
Your legal name or company name.
A phone number and address for the domain contact.
Steps
Set simple rules for your name. Use short words that people spell on the first try. Avoid numbers and hyphens. Aim for six to fourteen letters. Verify: You say it once, and a friend types it without asking you again.
Brainstorm five clean options. Write each on its own line. Say each one out loud at a normal speed. Remove any option that feels awkward.
Test clarity with one person. Say each option once. Ask them to type what they heard. Keep names they type correctly on the first try.
Search each option in Google. Look for active brands using the same words. Avoid names used in your niche.
Check basic trademarks in your country. Use the public database. Skip names with exact matches in your niche.
Check the main social usernames. Look on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn. Favour the option with the cleanest matches.
Open Hover. Go to Domains. Type your best option in the search bar. Press Enter.
Review the results. Choose dot com if it is open. If it’s unavailable, select a reliable top-level domain that matches your niche. Make sure you did not include a hyphen to make it match.
Compare close variants. Look at plural and singular forms. Avoid names that are one letter away from another brand.
Add the domain to your cart. Click Add to Cart. Click Checkout.
Create your Hover account. Enter your name and email. Set a strong password you will remember.
Enter contact details for the domain. Use your real name or your company. Add your address, phone number, and email. Your contact details must be the same as in your payment records.
Turn on WHOIS privacy. Open Privacy. Set Privacy to On. Make sure privacy is on before payment.
Turn on Auto Renew. Keep your name safe from lapsing. Make sure to put a reminder on the calendar to let you know thirty days before the renewal.
Review domain protection. Read the short note in Hover. Add it if you want an extra lock against transfers. Skip it if you do not need it today.
Enter your payment details. Use your card or another listed method. The billing address should match your card records.
Review your order. Confirm the domain name, the term, and privacy. Remove any extra line you do not need.
Submit payment. Wait for the success screen. See that you get a receipt by email from Hover.
Verify your email. Open the message from Hover. Click the verify link. Look at your domain: The domain in your Hover account shows Active.
Save your records. Store the receipt in your business folder. Save your login. Note your renewal date. Add a reminder.
Plan your next move. Open your website or page builder. Prepare to connect DNS in the next session.
Quick check
Your domain shows Active in your Hover account.
WHOIS privacy is on.
Auto Renew is On.
Your name is easy to say and easy to type.
You saved your receipt and renewal date.
Fix common issues
It’s unclear because the name is taken. Add one short niche word or get a trusted top-level domain.
People misspell the name Swap in many ways, like Swapp, Sop, and Swop.
Turn On Privacy: Open the domain in Hover, set Privacy to On, and save.
Contact details are wrong: Open Contacts in Hover, fix the fields, and save.
If you did not receive the verification email, check your junk or spam before resending the link.
Resources
Guide: Your Digital Foundation - Domains, Hosting & Setup.
Short Course: Start Your Online Hub Fast.
Sign up today, then link it to your site so that others can find you. You can easily go from name to launch with the Creator’s Toolkit on my site. It gives you simple steps and the exact order to follow.