One-Word .com Domains: The Most Sought-After Names on the Web

Key takeaways

• A one-word .com cannot be duplicated: only one exists.
• Many of the largest domain sales of all time, such as Voice.com at $30 million, were one-word .coms.
• Start-ups often begin on a cheaper name and upgrade to their one-word .com once they succeed.
• Most major sales go unreported, so published figures understate the market.

Oneword.com domains are arguably the most sought after digital commodity on the web, but why?

Many of the biggest domain name sales of all time have been in the oneword.com format. Examples of these are:

Source: DNJournal.com

Many companies, even from the beginning of the internet, realized that by using a memorable and iconic brand name, people would find it easier to remember and find them. Just like with an easy to remember phone number, the simpler, the better usually rings true.

English words are often used to brand international companies and seem to resonate with a global audience. A domain in the .com extension, something else that has become synonymous with the internet, is the most popular choice. A one word .com such as Apple.com cannot be duplicated. Only one exists. For that reason, certain positive and memorable words in the .com extension are extremely valuable.

An iconic and easy to remember .com domain solves many potential problems such as confusion when hearing the brand's name due to spelling or length of the domain, e-mail related issues and overall brand credibility. There is a connotation of integrity when you hear a domain such as Ring.com as opposed to Ring.biz for example, which sounds like it could be owned by anybody.

Upgrading to the one word .com

It is also very common that start-ups upgrade to these premium one word .com domains after becoming successful. In their early stages, most start ups usually elect for a cheaper alternative, such as a .io domain, but once they become well-known, see the benefit in upgrading to their perfect .com.

Examples of brands that have evolved include:

• SumoMe.com » Sumo.com ($1.5m)
• MyMint.com » Mint.com ($ undisclosed)
• PacificPillows.com » Pillows.com ($ undisclosed)
• HelloExtend.com » Extend.com ($ mid six figures)
• Qihoo360.com » 360.com ($17m)
• RestorationHardware.com » RH.com ($ seven figures)

Recent one word .com sales

The trend towards one word .com domains is still very much alive and this is reflected in the below recent sales. It is worth remembering that reported sales are only the tip of the iceberg. The vast majority of major domain name sales go unreported so these examples are merely scratching the surface of the true market.

Source: NameBio.com