Your domain name is your digital address. It’s the front door to your online presence, the first thing customers type, and a cornerstone of your brand identity. In a perfect world, it’s short, memorable, and perfectly encapsulates what you do. But as you’re about to see, we don’t live in a perfect world.
Sometimes, in the rush to get online, businesses choose domain names that are… less than perfect. Through unfortunate word combinations, awkward phrasing, or a simple lack of saying it out loud first, they create URLs that are memorable for all the wrong reasons. These blunders can range from being unintentionally hilarious to reputation-damagingly awful.
While researching new domain names for a client, we decided to go back and look at all the funny (and horrible) web domain names we’ve seen over the years. We’ve compiled them here as a cautionary tale. Not only will we share a laugh at these digital disasters, but we’ll also provide a practical guide to ensure your own domain name makes the right kind of first impression.
The Anatomy of a Domain Name Disaster
Before we get to the list, it helps to understand why these names go so wrong. Most mistakes fall into one of a few categories.
- Unfortunate Word Combinations: This is the most common and hilarious category. When you remove the spaces between words, new, unintended (and often R-rated) words can emerge from the ether. This happens when the end of one word and the beginning of the next form a new, problematic phrase. The “Say It Out Loud” test is the best defense against this.
- Ambiguous Meanings: Some domain names are so vague they fail to communicate what the business actually does. A name like
qualitygoods.comtells the user nothing specific and is easily forgotten. - Too Long or Impossible to Remember: If a user can’t easily recall your domain or type it without making a mistake, you’ve created a barrier between you and them. This includes names that are excessively long, use confusing slang, or contain hard-to-spell words.
- Trying Too Hard with Punctuation: Some businesses, realizing their desired name creates an unfortunate combination, try to fix it with a hyphen (e.g.,
experts-exchange.com). While better than the alternative, hyphens are often forgotten by users, are clunky to say out loud (“experts dash exchange dot com”), and can still lead people to the wrong, non-hyphenated site.
The Hall of Shame: 40 of the Most Notorious Domains
Just a gentle reminder to make sure your domain name conveys what you want it to! Here are the 40 most notorious domains that have been registered.
Category 1: The Classic Word Combination Catastrophes
These are the legends, the ones shared in marketing presentations worldwide as perfect examples of what not to do.
penisland.net– The all-time classic. A wonderful site for the fictional Pen Island, but it reads very, very differently.expertsexchange.com– The tech help forum Experts Exchange learned this lesson the hard way. They later wisely added a hyphen to becomeexperts-exchange.com.therapistfinder.com– Are you looking for a therapist, or a “the rapist” finder? Punctuation and spacing are everything.whorepresents.com– A talent agency asking “Who Represents?” this actor, or something else entirely?molestationnursery.com– The Mole Station Native Plant Nursery in New South Wales, Australia. An unfortunate name that proves even the most innocent businesses need to be careful.kidsexchange.net– A marketplace for parents to swap kids’ clothes and toys, but it certainly doesn’t sound like it.speedofart.com– A celebration of the Speed of Art, or… well, you get the idea.gotahoe.com– The official tourism website for Lake Tahoe. Their enthusiasm is noted.teacherstalk.com– A community for Teachers Talk, which sounds much less innocent when read quickly.powergenitalia.com– The Italian power generation company, Power Gen Italia, probably should have had a native English speaker check this one.
Category 2: Just Plain Awkward & Funny
These might not be as R-rated as the first category, but they still cause a double-take.
mammotherection.com– A construction company. A mammoth erection, get it? They knew what they were doing.bigalsonline.com– Big Al’s Online couldn’t have foreseen the unfortunate “anal” in the middle of their domain.bitefartcafe.rs– The Bitef Art Cafe in Serbia.dicksonweb.com– Dickson’s Temperature Instruments has a perfectly fine name, but it becomes juvenile humor online.wintersexpress.com– Winter’s Express courier service.viagrafix.com– A graphics company called Via Grafix that existed long before a certain little blue pill. They later rebranded.pedo.org– The Pan American Dental Organization. An incredibly unfortunate acronym.ihavegas.com– An innocent site for IHA Vegas Holiday Rentals.
Category 3: Long, Confusing, or Unmemorable
llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch.com– Yes, it’s a real town in Wales. No, you should never, ever do this for your business.michaeljacksonsthisisitmoviemerchandise.com– A mouthful that proves longer is not better.gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooogle.com– A spinoff of the famous search engine that is impossible to type correctly.auctionshit.com– They meant “Auctions Hit,” but one missing space created a very different business model.
And The Rest of the List:
sydneytherapist.com– Sydney Therapistwebone.com.au– Web Onechoosespain.com– Choose Spainbendover.com– Ben Dover (a person’s name)partnerstalking.com.au– Partners Talkingnobraces.com.au– No Bracesipanywhere.com– IP Anywherenycanal.com– New York Canal Regionmofo.com– The law firm Morrison & Foerster, LLCbutthatsnotall.co.nz– But That’s Not Allchildrenswear.co.uk– Childrens Wearmachome.com– Mac Homeoddsextractor.com– Odds Extractoralterscrap.com– Alter Scrapladrape.co.uk– La Drape1hourscrap.com– 1 Hour Scrapswissbit.ch– Swissbit
Your 7-Step Guide to Choosing a Great Domain Name
Now that you’ve seen how badly things can go, how do you ensure your domain is a winner? Follow these simple rules.
- Keep it Short and Memorable. The best domain names are easy to recall. Think
google.com,apple.com,nike.com. They are short, snappy, and stick in your head. - Make it Easy to Spell and Pronounce. If you have to spell out your domain name over the phone, it’s too complicated. Avoid unusual spellings or made-up words that are hard to get right.
- Say It Out Loud (The Pen Island Test). This is the most important rule. Read your domain name aloud slowly, then quickly. Ask others to read it. Do any unintended words or phrases appear? This simple step could save you from major embarrassment.
- Choose the Right Extension (.com is King). While there are hundreds of domain extensions now (like
.io,.co,.ai),.comis still the most recognized and trusted. If you can, secure the.com. If not, choose an extension that makes sense for your business (e.g.,.orgfor non-profits,.com.aufor Australian businesses). - Avoid Hyphens and Numbers. Hyphens make domains clunky and hard to remember. Numbers can cause confusion—is it “5” or “five”? Stick to letters only for a cleaner, more professional look.
- Think Long-Term. Don’t choose a domain that is too niche.
bobsbudgetwebsites.comis fine now, but what if Bob wants to offer premium services later? Pick a name that allows your business room to grow. - Check Availability and Trademarks. Before you fall in love with a name, check that it’s available to register. Also, do a quick search to ensure you aren’t infringing on an existing company’s trademark.
A domain name is more than just a web address; it’s a critical branding asset that can work for or against you. By learning from the hilarious mistakes of others and following a few simple guidelines, you can choose a name that is clear, memorable, and professional—ensuring you’re known for your great work, not for a comical URL.
Have you seen a URL that should be on this list? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook!
