Can Domain Names Have Numbers?

Wondering if you can use a number in your domain name?

Yes, domain names can have numbers. There’s no rule against it. BUT… There are some things you shouldn’t use in your domain name even if it’s allowed.

In this guide, we’ll discuss when you should and shouldn’t use numbers in your domain name.

What’s the Problem with Using Numbers in Domain Names?

Domain names with numbers could be associated with bad websites. So there’s a chance that your site could get thrown into the mix even though you’re completely legit.

Here are the top 3 reasons why domains with numbers are a bad idea:

1. Trademark & Copyright Issues

If you see that a brand name is already using the number or spelled-out version of the name you want, it’s best to stay clear.

So for instance, Four Seasons is a popular hotel around the world. Their domain is fourseasons.com. Now, you may be tempted to get the domain 4seasons.com, but this is a bad idea. It’s not only confusing to users, but you could also run into trademark and copyright issues.

When you register your domain name, it’s wise to trademark it. This will protect your brand’s name from being duplicated and used by anyone else.

Read more about that here: Should You Trademark Your Domain Name? (Beginner’s Guide)

2. Commonly Used by Spammy Sites

Numbers are often used by websites that have fraudulent, spammy, gambling, or adult content. As their domains get banned, they pick up new domain names with numbers to duplicate the same website.

You may have heard of entertainment streaming sites like 123movies and Putlocker. Their legality has been questioned around the world and as they are deemed a piracy threat, these sites have been shut down. But over the years, their content reappears through mirrors and proxy domains like putlocker9.live and putlocker123.video.

These domains use numbers, hyphens, and different extensions to get online temporarily. They are run by third-parties and could be spammy, overloaded with ads, and even malicious.

3. Commonly Used by Hackers

Hackers use different methods to defraud their targets. One of them is by running malicious websites where users are tricked into giving away their personal data.

Next, if a hacker wants to trick you into clicking a link in an email, they may use a legit bank name along with a number string like abcbankvjhs12344.co.uk.

They’ll then mask this lengthy domain with a proper Sender Name “ABC Bank” so that it looks legit. A lot of people only read the name and don’t pay attention to the domain it’s coming from.

As you can see, there are many reasons not to use numbers in your domain.

If you choose to use a number in your domain name, you need to be smart about it. We tell you how to do that next.

When to Use Numbers in Domain Names?

Many people will tell you to never use numbers in your domain name. But we’ve been in the domain industry since 1999, and we can safely say that there are cases where numbers work in domain names.

So, yes, you CAN use numbers in your domain name. However, you need to make sure it makes sense to your brand.

Don’t mismatch your brand and domain

Take, for instance, the company Barn2Door’s website is barn2door.com. It’s not confusing as their brand name and domain name match. If their brand name was Barn-to-Door and domain was barn2door.com, this could confuse the user.

Users won’t know whether they should use the digit or spell it out when they try to visit your site.

It could also make it harder to rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Using common words with numbers

There are certain terms that are used commonly that have numbers in them like mp4, B2B, and B2C.

If you want to use these terms in your domain name, you should ideally pick the commonly used spelling.

Imagine if your site was classicmpfour.com, people may not make the connection to mp4. In this case, classicmp4.com would work much better

Make sure it works for your brand and doesn’t make you look like a spam website.

Buy both domain versions

If you’re registering a domain with a number in it, you could lose traffic if people type out the spelling instead.

For example, if your brand name is Secret Seventeen, visitors may go to secret17.com.

To avoid this, you can register both domains – secretseventeen.com and secret17.com.

Then, you can create your website on one of these domains and add a redirect on the other domain so traffic comes to your main website.

Use a Domain Name Generator

If you are struggling to find a good brandable domain name with or without a number, you should use our Domain Name Generator.

You simply need to add one or more keywords into the search bar. Then the tool uses a smart AI algorithm to combine your keywords with alliterations, synonyms, prefixes, suffixes, and more.

It also checks for domain availablity with Bluehost and Domain.com. Then it gives you a list of ideas that you can acutally use for your website.

You’ll only see ideas for domains that you can register right away. So you’ll never be disappointed that you found the perfect name and the domain is already taken.

Choose the Right Domain Extension

For any domain name, the best option is to use a .com domain. It’s the most popular extension and therefore, is also trusted by users around the world.

If you’re using a number in your domain name, you want to stay clear of extensions that are associated with spam.

According to Spamhaus, the most abused TLDs include:

.surf
.cam
.tt
.ml
.gq
.top
.cf
.cn
.win

These domain extensions are flagged as bad because the ratio of bad-to-good domains may be higher than average.

See which extensions are good to use: What is the Best TLD (Domain Extension).

Check the Domain History

The chances of getting a brand new domain are rare. You’ll most likely get a domain name that was already in use before.

Checking the domain’s history will show you what the domain name was used for and its SEO potential.

For more on this, follow our guide: How to Check a Domain’s History Before Buying it (Steps + Tips).

Get the Best Deal on Your Domain Name

Now we know that trying to get the perfect domain can be expensive. Especially if you want the .com version. You may be tempted to use a number to find the perfect domain at an affordable cost.

Not sure how much your domain name should cost? We’ve created a guide for you: How Much Does a Domain Name Cost? (Pricing Breakdown).

We want the best for our users so we’ve worked out 2 great deals for you.

1. Domain.com

You can register the domain in your own name on Domain.com. As a Nameboy user, you’ll get 25% off on your purchase on Domain.com.

2. Bluehost

Sign up for a web hosting plan with Bluehost and get the domain name for free. Bluehost is a top web host company with reliable hosting services at affordable rates. You can get started for as low as $2.75 per month and you’ll even get a free SSL certificate and CDN that will make your website more secure and faster.

Once you have your domain registered, you can set up your website right away. It’s easy with our tutorial: How to Start a Website (Step by Step).

That’s all we have for you today. We hope this guide answered your question ‘Can Domain Names have Numbers?”

If you have your heart set on a particular domain that’s registered, you’ll find these guides helpful:

• How to Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name
• Domain Brokers: What are They and Should You Use Them?
• How to Find & Buy Expired Domains (2 Best Ways)

These guides will make it easier to get the domain name you really want.