Thoughts on using your real name for a domain?

2StepSteve · 26 Mar 2011 at 14:44

Edit: Can a don move this thread to GD? As I think I would get more feedback there, thanks

A part of me likes this idea. It is like your piece of the web which is linked to your real identity for sharing blogs/thoughts/interests.

I have registered a few domains in the past, but always want to go back to using my name for a site.

Another part of me though feels this could lead to some possible problems with privacy and the loss of anonymity down the road.

What do you think? I know we have a few members here that openly share their full name in their website domain.

whitecrook · 26 Mar 2011 at 14:45

i think you should register your name anyway.

shine · 26 Mar 2011 at 14:46

I've registered my name as a domain. I don't do much with it as I'm lazy but at least it means no one with the same name can either.

SoundsGood · 26 Mar 2011 at 14:56

I used to own my own name... Now some guy has it and is using it to advertise his driving school

Buchanan0204 · 26 Mar 2011 at 14:57

What possible repercussions could arise from using your real name... unless you were doing something illegal?

It's something people can find in the phone book or the voters role anyway.

TidyWorks · 26 Mar 2011 at 17:22

You can find out someones name, even their address from the url address no matter what it is. Just do a whois check.

http://www.whoischeck.co.uk/

derfderfley · 26 Mar 2011 at 18:13

I have a domain (which is my surname) but I only use it for email. Website wise I tend to use domain names that are related to the appropriate subject.
And the only personal site I still have up (which really needs pulling as it's years out of date) doesn't have a domain name that is anything at all to do with my name.

fez · 26 Mar 2011 at 18:35

TidyWorks said:
You can find out someones name, even their address from the url address no matter what it is. Just do a whois check.

http://www.whoischeck.co.uk/

There you go. People really need to stop believing that someone can steal your face if you look at them. Anyone who really wants to find out the person behind a domain would be able to do it even if you had used someone else's details with the domain registrar.

Names are not unique.

Dup · 26 Mar 2011 at 19:29

I have my surname (very unique) as a .co.uk so I have have [email protected] as my email address, love it.

It was once a small portfolio site but I gave up my web pursuits to work full time away from the creative site. But it will make a nice business card for future job applications and I use the hosting as a file dump. Useful tool IMO, even if I'm not making the most of it.

Ciphon · 26 Mar 2011 at 21:20

I don't see an issue with having your name as your domain name.

I personally didn't do this, as I don't feel my name has that "ring" to it..

2StepSteve · 27 Mar 2011 at 03:41

Is interesting seeing the responses.

Valentino · 27 Mar 2011 at 03:43

Erm, a WHOIS search will give you the registers name and address anyway. Already been said, never mind.

2StepSteve · 27 Mar 2011 at 03:51

Valentino said:
Erm, a WHOIS search will give you the registers name and address anyway. Already been said, never mind.

Not always the case.

I guess you and the other guy that also commented doesn't know about domain privacy.

fez · 27 Mar 2011 at 04:08

2StepSteve said:
Not always the case.

I guess you and the other guy that also commented doesn't know about domain privacy.

If someone can be bothered enough to put the time in, they will probably find out who is really behind the domain, privacy or not. Try not to be silly eh. Knowing your name and address is irreverent to anyone trying to do something dodgy.

Anthony Kinson · 27 Mar 2011 at 08:40

i have a website / blog for my real name, don't use it much but i do use the email accounts

http://www.anthonykinson.co.uk

Also, you can opt to have your data excluded from the whois database.

pieplough · 27 Mar 2011 at 11:55

I own my domain name, but using it varies depending on what your website is for. As you said you will be sharing your thoughts in a blog type format it could work well, however you will be removing all you anonymity so may not wish to post your more private thoughts that a less personal domain would allow.

For example a future employer may google you and read your opinions etc meaning you may need to be cautious about content.

Mr-White · 27 Mar 2011 at 12:28

I have my name as a domain so some other ****** with the same name can't have it

MW

Anthony Kinson · 27 Mar 2011 at 22:48

pieplough said:
I own my domain name, but using it varies depending on what your website is for. As you said you will be sharing your thoughts in a blog type format it could work well, however you will be removing all you anonymity so may not wish to post your more private thoughts that a less personal domain would allow.

For example a future employer may google you and read your opinions etc meaning you may need to be cautious about content.

Very True... I once had a phone call from HMRC, and the guy asked me a question about something i had posted on my blog pertaining to my company.

Basically, i had written an article about the exchange rates between USD & GBP getting worse, and i'd made a typo in the approximate amount i was having to pay extra due to the drop in the rates. was just an extra zero or something, but it would have meant i was personally earning hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, which was not what by tax returns and so on was saying :lol:

MikeTech · 28 Mar 2011 at 05:10

I think that using the real name for a domain is good idea, beause it's very difficult to find a good unique domain name today.

stoofa · 28 Mar 2011 at 10:59

I have my surname as a domain.
However I couldn't get the ones I wanted - .com, .co.uk or .net

Originally I had:
mysurname.info

Not great, but made for a memorable email address.
I then managed to secure:

mysurname.eu
Which is a lot better.

So my email address is:

[email protected] - so nice and easy to remember for anyone.