Guppy's Domain: Naming The Digital Home

Name Guppy is a tool that scores domain names based on a series of criteria. It uses a 1600-point scale and evaluates the quality of the name itself, including its readability, memorability, integrity, and convenience as a domain name. Name Guppy also takes into account factors such as the length of the domain name, the use of common words, the presence of non-alphabetical characters, and the reputation of the top-level domain. It provides a public REST-based API to access domain name scores and keeps a live ranking of the top ten thousand active domain names.

What criteria does Name Guppy use to evaluate domain names?

Name Guppy evaluates domain names based on a 1600-point scale. Unlike other domain name evaluators, Name Guppy does not score websites according to popularity, size, traffic, or the number of backlinks. Instead, it focuses on the quality of the name itself, including its readability, memorability, integrity, and convenience as a domain name.

Name Guppy's criteria favour shorter domain names. A domain name that uses common words is scored higher than one that uses obscure or made-up terms. The tool uses a list of the 10,000 most frequent English words, derived from Google's "trillion word corpus."

Non-alphabetical characters, such as hyphens or numeric characters, negatively impact a domain name's score. Additionally, some top-level domains (TLDs) are well-known and trusted, while others are commonly abused and have spammy reputations. Dot com domain names are given special weight.

Name Guppy also considers the potential challenges of word-of-mouth advertising for a domain name, as names containing words that sound similar to other words may be penalised. Similarly, sequences of letters that unintentionally form vulgar or embarrassing words can impact a domain name's score.

What is the Name Guppy scoring scale?

The Name Guppy scoring scale is a set of criteria used by the International Fancy Guppy Association (IFGA) to judge and classify guppies based on their colour, tail type, body shape, eye colour, and other physical characteristics. The IFGA is dedicated to promoting the fancy guppy hobby and provides guidelines for breeding and exhibiting guppies. Here is a detailed overview of the Name Guppy scoring scale:

Colour Classification:

Guppies are classified into various colour categories, including Red, Blue, Green, Black, Multi, Yellow, Purple, Albino, Bronze, Gold, Half Black, Pastel, Snakeskin, Solid, and Variegated. The IFGA defines specific criteria for each colour class, such as the percentage of colour coverage on the body or tail. For example, a "Half-Black" guppy is defined as having a body half-black (black half) with the tail in another colour.

Tail Type:

The IFGA recognises different tail types in guppies, including Delta Tails, Veil Tails, and Swordtails. Delta tails are defined by an angle between 55-75 degrees, while veil tails have an angle between 40-50 degrees. Swordtails, on the other hand, can be single or double and are classified based on the colour of their eyes.

Body Shape and Eye Colour:

The IFGA also considers the body shape and eye colour of guppies in their scoring scale. For instance, snakeskin guppies must have a standard type of linking or a rosette pattern covering at least 60% of their body. Half-black guppies are classified based on the colour of their tails, with a half-black body and a red tail falling under the "Half-Black Red" category.

Scoring and Judging:

The IFGA provides detailed guidelines for selecting and judging guppies, especially for breeding and exhibiting purposes. They recommend selecting the largest fish with thick caudal peduncles, which indicates their ability to carry large tails. A wide, triangular caudal shape and matching caudal and dorsal colours are also desirable traits. Curved spines, flat heads, and dull colours are considered undesirable and should be eliminated from the breeding stock.

The IFGA's scoring scale and classification system help promote uniformity and consistency in judging guppies at competitions and exhibitions. Breeders and hobbyists can refer to the IFGA's resources to improve their understanding of guppy genetics and enhance their breeding programmes.

Does Name Guppy score a website based on its popularity?

Name Guppy is a domain name scoring system that uses a 1600-point scale to evaluate the quality of a domain name. It does not score websites according to their popularity, size, traffic, or number of backlinks. Instead, it focuses on the domain name itself, assessing its readability, memorability, integrity, and convenience as a domain name.

Name Guppy's algorithm favours shorter domain names and those that use common words over obscure or made-up terms. It also takes into account the top-level domain (TLD), with .com domains given special weight due to their familiarity and trustworthiness. Additionally, domain names with non-alphabetical characters, such as hyphens or numeric characters, are penalised.

Overall, Name Guppy provides a comprehensive evaluation of domain names, ensuring that they are effective, memorable, and trustworthy.

Domain: testsite123.com

Score: 941

Percent: 59

Stars: 3

Rank: 195

Evaluation:

• Warning: Contains a homophone (sight, cite, and site).
• Good: It's short (fewer than 15 characters), contains common words (site and tests), has a trusted top-level domain (.com), and its top-level domain is trusted.
• Bad: Contains 3 non-alphabetical characters.

Are longer domain names better?

A domain name is the name by which Internet users locate a website, which is included in the URL. For example, the domain name for the URL www.webfx.com is webfx.com.

There are several factors to consider when deciding on a domain name, and whether it should be long or short.

Benefits of Long Domain Names

Longer domain names are useful if you can't sum up what your company does in just one word, or if your brand name is a little vague. For example, if you sell children's clothing online and your business name is "Pink Boutique", you might choose something like "pink-boutique-clothing.com" to make your purpose and store identity clearer.

Longer domain names also have a better chance of being unique, especially if they combine words in different ways. They are also less likely to prohibit online sharing, as many popular services now shorten URLs, so they don't take up too much room on Twitter, or lengthen shares on Facebook or Google+.

Benefits of Short Domain Names

Shorter domain names are easier to read and remember, and since they take up less room, they are easier to include on printed material like business cards or brochures. Short URLs are also more likely to be catchy and stick in someone's head. For example, a simple URL like "pinkbt" for a children's clothing boutique is easier to recall when a previous visitor wants to come back.

Short domain names are also more likely to be creative and unique, and less likely to be taken already.

Downsides of Long Domain Names

The main disadvantage of a long domain name is that it is more likely to be taken already, especially if your brand name isn't unique, is a made-up word, or contains a common word or phrase.

Another downside is that longer domain names can affect the overall user experience. A very long domain name may give the impression that your site is spammy and not trustworthy. It may also be harder for users to type, especially on mobile devices, and may be harder to include on marketing materials.

Downsides of Short Domain Names

The only real disadvantage of a short URL is that it is more likely to be taken already, especially if your brand name is not unique.

Best Practices for Domain Names

It is generally recommended that domain names are kept as short and concise as possible. However, this is not always possible or practical, especially if a short domain name does not accurately sum up what a business does or offers.

When choosing a domain name, it is important to consider the user experience and ensure that the domain name is easy to remember and recall. It should also be easy to include in different forms of advertising.

It is also worth noting that the quality of content and the overall user experience are the most important factors for search engine optimization (SEO).

Are common words in a domain name better or worse than obscure terms?

A domain name that uses common words is generally considered better than one that uses obscure or made-up terms. This is because common words are more readable, memorable, and convenient for users. They are also easier to type into a search engine, which can improve a website's search engine optimization (SEO) and, consequently, its online visibility.

For example, the domain name "testsite123.com" is given a high score by Name Guppy, a domain name scoring system, because it contains the common words "site" and "tests". The system also notes that the domain is short, uses a trusted top-level domain (TLD), and does not contain any unintentional or embarrassing words.

However, there can be drawbacks to using common words in a domain name. For instance, common words may be harder to trademark, and websites with common words in their domain names may face more competition in search engine rankings. Additionally, common words may not stand out as much as unique or obscure terms, potentially making it more challenging to create a memorable brand.

On the other hand, using obscure terms in a domain name can have benefits. These terms may be more attention-grabbing and help a website or brand stand out. They can also be more unique and, therefore, easier to trademark. However, obscure terms may be more challenging for users to remember and type into a search engine, potentially impacting the website's SEO and online visibility.

Ultimately, when choosing between common words and obscure terms for a domain name, it is essential to consider the specific goals and target audience of the website or brand. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, and the best choice will depend on the unique circumstances of each case.

Frequently asked questions