Naming your brand and store address: a short guide to subdomains and domains

Your brand name and web address are among the hardest things to change later. A little care now saves a lot of rework.

What makes a good name

• Easy to say and spell. Tell it to a friend over the phone. If they cannot write it down, simplify it.
• Short. Long names are harder to type, remember and fit on a package.
• Distinct. Avoid names too close to a known brand, which causes confusion and can lead to legal trouble.
• Meaningful or neutral. Avoid terms that limit you if you expand.
• Available as a domain and a social handle, in a form you are happy with.

Check it is safe to use

Search the trademark register in your country for similar names in your category, and search the web for the name and close spellings. In India, this includes the trademark database of the Intellectual Property Office. A lawyer can advise on registration. Registering your own trademark protects you later.

Store address vs domain

• Store address (subdomain): an address such as yourbrand.orvexacloud.in that comes free with your store. It works from day one and suits launch and testing.
• Custom domain: an address you own, such as yourbrand.com or yourbrand.in. It looks more professional, is easier to remember and carries over if you change platform.

On Orvexa, every store starts on a free subdomain, and connecting your own domain is part of the Growth Pro plan.

Choosing an extension

Pick one main domain and redirect the others to it.

Buy it the right way

1. Register it yourself, in your own account and under your business details, not through an agency's account.
2. Turn on auto-renew and add a backup contact so that you do not lose it.
3. Keep WHOIS privacy on if offered, to reduce spam.
4. Buy obvious variants: common misspellings or the other extension, and point them to the main site.
5. Do not register a domain you cannot afford to renew.

Put email on your domain

Customers trust hello@yourbrand.com more than a free email address. Set up business email early. When you later change your website host, keep the email records unchanged (DNS basics).

If you may change platforms later

Owning your domain means you can move your store without changing your address. Read connect vs transfer and how to migrate. Also remember the 60-day rule on domain transfers.

Test the name

Say it aloud, type it quickly, and show it to ten people from your target audience. Ask what they think you sell, and whether they would remember it tomorrow.

What to do next

Write down three name options and check each for domain, social handles and trademarks. Choose the one that passes all three, then register the domain today.