Glossary
Domain and Naming Glossary
Buying a domain name should not feel like decoding a legal contract. Still, a few technical words tend to show up along the way, so here is a plain, friendly guide to the ones that matter. You will also find the main naming styles and little wordplay tricks that go into a great brand name. Keep it handy while you shop our full collection of brandable domains, and come back any time a term trips you up. No jargon goggles required.
Domains and buying a name
15Authorization code (EPP code)
A unique code tied to a .com (and most other domains) that acts like a password to move it between registrars. You will sometimes see it called an EPP code or a transfer key. You need it to start a domain transfer, and we hand yours over when your domain is ready to move.
Brandable domain
A short, memorable, made-up or cleverly combined name that sounds like a real brand, think of names like Novanym itself. It is built to be distinctive and easy to say, rather than stuffed with keywords. These are the names we specialize in.
DNS (Domain Name System)
The internet's address book. DNS translates a friendly domain name into the numeric IP address that computers actually use to find each other. It is the reason you can type a name instead of memorizing a string of numbers.
DNS settings
The controls in your registrar's dashboard where you connect your domain to a website, email, or other services. This is where you point the name at wherever you want it to go.
Domain name
Your address on the internet: a label plus a suffix, separated by a dot. For example, novanym.com. It is what people type to reach your site and what your email lives on.
Domain transfer
The process of moving a domain from one registrar to another, using its authorization code. When you buy from Novanym, this is the step that puts the name under your control.
Escrow
A secure, neutral way to hand over a domain and payment at the same time, so both sides are protected. When you buy from Novanym, the domain is transferred to you through secure escrow handled by our parent company, BrandBucket. Once it clears, you hold the domain at your own registrar.
IP address
A unique string of numbers that identifies a device or server on a network. DNS matches your easy-to-remember domain name to the right IP address behind the scenes.
Nameserver
A specialized server that stores your DNS records and answers the question, where does this domain point? Your registrar sets default nameservers, and you can swap them if you host your DNS elsewhere.
Premium domain
A domain with extra value baked in, usually because it is short, brandable, and easy to remember. Premium names are priced above a standard registration because they are ready to carry a real business from day one.
Registrar
A company accredited to register and manage domain names for the public, such as GoDaddy or Namecheap. After your purchase clears escrow, you keep your domain at the registrar of your choice.
Registry
The organization that runs a top-level domain and keeps the master database for it. For example, the registry behind .com maintains the record of every .com in existence, while registrars sell and manage individual names on top of it.
Renewal
Domains are leased, not owned forever, so you pay to keep yours year after year. Renewal is that recurring payment to your registrar. Turn on auto-renew so a great name never slips away by accident.
TLD (top-level domain)
The part of a domain that comes after the last dot, like .com, .org, .net, or .io. The .com is still the most trusted and recognized TLD, which is why most of our names use it.
WHOIS
Pronounced who is, a public directory that shows registration details for a domain, such as who holds it and when it expires. Many registrars now offer privacy protection to keep your personal contact info out of it.
Name styles
15Invented name
A name built from scratch that was not a word before, like Kodak or Novanym. Invented names are distinctive, carry no baggage, and are the easiest kind to own outright. They are exactly what we make here.
Coined name
Another term for an invented name, a brand-new word created on purpose to be a brand. Because nobody else uses it, it is simpler to trademark and easier to rank for in search.
Abstract name
A name that does not describe the business at all and works purely as a distinctive label, like Kodak or Häagen-Dazs. All of the meaning comes from the brand you build on top of it.
Descriptive name
A name that says plainly what a business does, like City Plumbing Supplies. It is clear, but it is hard to own, easy to forget, and tricky to trademark, which is why invented names often win.
Suggestive name
A name that hints at what you do or the feeling you offer without spelling it out. It keeps a little meaning while leaving plenty of room to grow.
Evocative name
A name that conjures a feeling or image rather than a literal description, like Amazon or Nike. It suggests, and lets the brand fill in the rest.
Associative name
A name that links your brand to a helpful idea or quality, such as strength, speed, or trust, without naming your product directly.
Metaphorical name
A name that borrows one idea to stand for another, like Amazon for something vast or Stripe for a clean, simple line. A good metaphor gives a name instant depth.
Compound name
A name made by joining two whole words, like Facebook or Salesforce. Easy to build, easy to understand, and quick to say.
Blended name
A name made by fusing parts of two words into one new word, like Instagram from instant and telegram. Also called a portmanteau. It packs two ideas into a single memorable word.
Alphanumeric name
A name that mixes letters and numbers, like 3M or Blink-182. Useful when a number carries real meaning, though it can make the name a little harder to spell and say.
Misspelled name
A familiar word given a fresh, ownable spelling, like Lyft or Flickr. You keep the sound and meaning while freeing up the trademark and the .com. Best used sparingly so it stays easy to say.
Founder name
A name taken from the person behind the business, like Ford or Dyson. Personal and full of heritage, though it can be harder to sell on later. Also called an eponymous name.
Acronym
A name made from the first letters of several words and read as a single word, like NASA. It only means something once you have taught people what it stands for.
Initialism
A name made from initials that you say letter by letter, like IBM or BBC. Like acronyms, initialisms need time and marketing before they carry meaning.
Naming techniques and wordplay
10Alliteration
Repeating the same starting sound across words, like Coca-Cola or PayPal. It makes a name bouncy, catchy, and easy to remember.
Assonance
Repeating vowel sounds inside a name, like the long e in Beetle. It adds a smooth, musical quality that pleases the ear.
Consonance
Repeating consonant sounds through a name, which gives it rhythm and a satisfying, put-together feel.
Rhyme
Matching end sounds so a name echoes itself. Rhyme makes a name stick, though a little goes a long way.
Euphony
The quality of simply sounding pleasant out loud. Euphonious names feel smooth and effortless to say, which is a big part of why some names just work.
Onomatopoeia
A word that imitates a sound, like buzz or zip. Dropped into a name, it adds energy and an instant sense of what a brand is about.
Neologism
The technical word for a newly invented word. In branding it means a made-up name created to be distinctive and completely yours.
Clipping
Shortening a longer word into a snappier one, like turning advertisement into advert. A quick way to make a name lighter and easier to say.
Affixation
Building a name by adding a small beginning or ending to a root word, such as the -ly in Bitly or the -ify in Shopify. The little add-on changes the whole feel.
Reduplication
Repeating a sound or syllable, like in Kit Kat or bonbon. It is playful, memorable, and fun to say.
What makes a name work
5Memorability
How easily people remember a name after hearing it once. Short, distinctive, easy-to-say names stick, while forgettable ones quietly cost you customers.
Distinctiveness
How much a name stands out from everyone else in its field. A distinctive name is easier to protect legally and easier for customers to pick out from the crowd.
Pronounceability
How easily people can say a name out loud and get it right the first time. If a name is hard to pronounce, word of mouth stalls before it can start.
Connotation
The feelings and associations a name carries beyond its literal meaning. Strong names lean on positive connotations to set the right tone before a word is even read.
Brand recall
The moment a customer needs what you sell and your name is the one that springs to mind. It is the payoff of a memorable, distinctive name.
Protecting your name
3Trademark
A legal registration that stops competitors from using your brand name in your field. Invented names are usually the easiest to register, because they are not everyday words that everyone shares.
Trademark search
Checking official databases to see whether a name is already registered by someone else in your industry. A smart step to take before you commit to a name.
Name clearance
The wider process of confirming a name is free to use, across trademarks, business registrations, and domain availability. Clearing a name early saves painful surprises later on.
No terms match your search.
