Domain Name Help, .co.uk and .com taken

[oliver2601]

Hello,

I'm interested in starting my own company doing web design and marketing. It's just going to be really small and almost just a hobby unless things take off.

I've thought of a good company name however the .co.uk and .com domains are taken The .co.uk was registered a year ago but isn't being used. The registrant is a director of a few companies but nothing seems to be related to the domain. The .com is registed by a CRM company who have changed their name.

The name wouldn't look right with "design" or "marketing" slapped on the end so I'm a bit stuck. How are other top level domains? ie .online?

Is it worth contacting any of these two people to see if I can buy it? As they both seem to be doing well for themselves I don't think they'd just hand it over.. I'm looking to spend £150 max

Does anybody have any experience with this sort of thing?

 

[oliver2601]

Thank you for the quick responses everyone!

Wouldn't it be easier to think of a new name?
Also worth checking companies house to see if a business is registered in that name to

The name isn't registered in company house, the .com was a company from cape town and the .co.uk seems disused.

What about dashes in the name if possible? If it's two or more words that is.

A .io domain? Becoming trendy with web and technology things.

Hmm, my target market would be small, non-techy businesses, I don't think I could pull it off with a .io. I didn't actually try dashes

If the TLDs are taken (.co.uk and .com) then the name's taken. Back to the drawing board .

Yep, looks like it might be. I'm going to have a brainstorm and if I can't get anything better I'll consider begging

 

[oliver2601]

With Scotty on the dashes, but otherwise there is no reason why not to contact them if the domains aren't being used.. They can only say no at worst!

Yep, going to see how it looks with dashes and have a good mull over it.
Exactly, no harm in asking

What would be the best approach? In my mind I'd go with a helping the community / passion / hobby guilt-trip kinda thing and offer £100 as a gesture for the inconvenience of switching everything over.