We’re talking domain names, naming your blog, and other tips for cooking up a name in partnership with Name.Kitchen. Thanks to the clever folks at Name.Kitchen for sponsoring this conversation. It’s hard to believe that this year marks EIGHT years since the beginning of Genpink. Although this little pink corner of the internet has certainly evolved over the years, there are some naming lessons I’ve learned that apply to all bloggers.

Picking a name should be the most obvious part of deciding to start a blog. But you’d be surprised how many bloggers start with one name, change to another, and sometimes even a third. My number one piece of advice for picking a blog name is “go for unique”. Having a unique name will set you above the rest in several areas. First, it’s much easier to monitor mentions if your blog name is unique. Second, people will remember you (and your blog) for significantly longer.

Because I’ve been in the blogging sphere so long, I’ve been to various blog conferences. Recently I attended a full day workshop here in Dallas. I had someone come up to me and say, “I’m sorry I don’t remember your first name, but I know you are Genpink.” I’m pretty sure that’s the best compliment!

Drop the Dash!

Think about how your blog name is spoken, as well as how the domain name is spelled. I’ve heard far too many people say my blog name is “XYZ *dash* ABC… don’t forget the dash”. Let’s all say this together, “drop the dash!”. If you already have an established blog, but you are one of those who competes against your domain name cousin (yes, I made that up), I challenge you to step outside the .com and give your domain a more unique nametag.

In a rollout that began in late 2013, hundreds of new domain endings that are ‘not-coms’ — words to the right of that second dot — are now available when crafting the URL for your website. So, cookies-and-coffee.com can now be come cookies.coffee. I dare you to say that you’d remember the first one easier, because you would be lying! Plus, there are so many more fun variations. If your blog becomes wildly successful, you can create spinoffs until your hearts desire. I’m currently considering genpink.gifts as a spinoff with just product recommendations.

Where to buy these fun domains?

Name.Kitchen, powered by Donuts Inc., provides a kitchen atmosphere around the subject of name creation. It is geared toward entrepreneurs (a.k.a. “business chefs”) scratching their heads for ideas. They offer inspiration on cooking up that perfect brand identity — including the one you take online.

There is a whole list of domain ending options for ya. Some of my favorites are .coffee, .community, .events, .house, .kitchen, and .pizza. There are also several coming soon like .coupons. The possibilities for lifestyle, food, and/or business bloggers are endless.

Choosing a great name for your business or project is an important, significant decision. Name.Kitchen offers tips, advice and inspiration to help you jump-start the name brainstorm. Discover these tools and tips at http://name.kitchen/naming-tools.

Tell us about your blog name

Question, how did you come up with your blog name? AND what not-com domain ending would bring your existing blog a new life?

PS: Are you wondering where “Genpink” came from? Back in 2007, there were ALL sorts of articles about Gen Y in the workforce, and Gen Y’s guide to money. Most of the bloggers talking about career from the Gen Y perspective were guys (headnod to my buddies who started Brazen Careerist), but I knew I wanted to jump into the conversation. And so, Genpink – a pink perspective on Gen Y – was born!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Name.Kitchen.