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Short Domain Names: The Math on What's Still Available

Everyone wants a short domain name. They're memorable, they look clean on business cards, and they're easier to type on mobile. But the math behind short domains tells a sobering story about what's actually still available.

The Math Behind Short Domains

The calculation is straightforward. For each position in a domain name, you have 26 letters to choose from (ignoring numbers and hyphens for now). The total number of possible combinations grows exponentially with each additional character:

  • 2-letter .com domains: 26² = 676 possible combinations
  • 3-letter .com domains: 26³ = 17,576 possible combinations
  • 4-letter .com domains: 26⁴ = 456,976 possible combinations
  • 5-letter .com domains: 26⁵ = 11,881,376 possible combinations

When you include numbers (0-9), the numbers change slightly. Using 36 characters (26 letters + 10 digits):

  • 3-character domains: 36³ = 46,656 combinations
  • 4-character domains: 36⁴ = 1,679,616 combinations

These numbers sound large until you realize how long domain registration has been around.

The Reality of .com Availability

Here's the unfortunate truth: virtually all short .com domains are taken. Every single 2-letter .com domain has been registered for decades. The same goes for 3-letter .com domains. All 17,576 three-letter combinations are registered, most of them long ago.

Four-letter .com domains? The overwhelming majority are gone. While the pool of 456,976 possibilities is larger, most pronounceable and memorable combinations were claimed years ago. What remains are typically random letter strings that serve no branding purpose.

By the time you reach 5-letter domains, you start finding some availability, but you're competing with millions of registered domains, and the good ones are still scarce.

The .com gold rush happened in the 1990s and early 2000s. Anyone looking for a short .com domain today is essentially searching through what others have left behind.

Alternative TLDs Open the Playing Field

This is where alternative top-level domains (TLDs) become relevant. While .com may be saturated, hundreds of other TLDs exist with significantly more availability.

Extensions like .io, .ai, .co, .app, and industry-specific TLDs (.tech, .design, .dev) still have short domains available. A 4-letter .io domain or a 5-letter .app domain can be obtained far more easily than their .com equivalents.

Newer TLDs also bring availability at the premium short-domain level. Three-letter combinations that are impossible to get in .com might be wide open in .xyz or .cloud.

The tradeoff is recognition. .com still carries universal awareness, while alternative TLDs require slightly more explanation. But for many projects, especially in tech, the alternative TLDs are perfectly acceptable.

The Meaning vs Length Tradeoff

Here's what changes the equation entirely: a meaningful 6-letter domain beats a random 3-letter domain almost every time.

Consider the difference between "rqk.com" and "harvest.com". The first is shorter. The second is infinitely more valuable for branding purposes.

Short domains only matter when they're also memorable. A 3-letter acronym works if it represents your brand (IBM, HBO, CNN). But a random assortment of letters provides no branding advantage beyond being slightly easier to type.

This is where most people searching for short domains get it wrong. They optimize for character count when they should optimize for memorability, pronunciation, and meaning.

A 6-letter word that relates to your business is better than a 3-letter string that relates to nothing. A 7-letter domain that people can spell after hearing it once beats a 4-letter domain they'll never remember.

The Practical Sweet Spot

Based on availability and usability, the practical sweet spot for domain names sits between 4 and 7 characters.

At 4 characters, you can still find options if you're flexible on the TLD or willing to include a number. At 5-6 characters, meaningful words start to appear. At 7 characters, you have thousands of real English words available.

This range balances brevity with meaning. It's short enough to be memorable and easy to type, while long enough to allow for actual words or recognizable brand names.

Going beyond 7 characters isn't necessarily bad, especially if the domain forms a clear phrase or compound word. But keeping it under 7 characters gives you the best chance of people remembering and typing it correctly.

Numbers and Hyphens: Worth It?

Including numbers in your domain opens up possibilities but comes with usability costs. Is it "three" or "3"? People will get it wrong.

Hyphens face similar issues. They're awkward to communicate verbally ("dash" or "hyphen"?) and easy to forget when typing.

Both numbers and hyphens can work in specific contexts. A product version number might make sense. A hyphen separating two clear words can aid readability. But generally, they introduce friction that pure letter domains avoid.

If you're considering a number or hyphen to secure a shorter domain, compare it honestly against a slightly longer domain that avoids them. The longer domain often wins.

Finding What's Available

The manual approach to finding short domains is tedious. You can check domains one by one through a registrar, but with hundreds of thousands of combinations, it's not practical.

Vacant Domains maintains a searchable database of available domains across different lengths and TLDs. Instead of manually checking combinations or relying on domain suggestions that might already be taken, you can filter by exact character count and extension to see current availability.

What About Premium Domains?

Some short domains are technically available but listed at premium prices by their current owners. You'll find 4-letter .com domains for sale at $10,000 or more.

Whether premium domains are worth the investment depends entirely on your budget and business model. For most projects, especially new ventures, spending thousands on a domain is questionable. That money usually delivers better returns invested in product development or marketing.

Premium domains make sense when the exact right name justifies the cost, typically for established businesses rebranding or consolidating their web presence.

Short domain names follow a simple pattern: the shorter the domain, the less likely it's available, especially in .com. The math shows why. With only 17,576 possible 3 letter domains in .com and decades of registration history, they're gone.

But short doesn't automatically mean better. Focus on finding a domain that's memorable and meaningful to your audience. A 6-letter word domain beats a 3-letter random string. The practical sweet spot sits around 4-7 characters, balancing brevity with the ability to form actual words.

Alternative TLDs dramatically expand your options. If you're not locked into .com, you'll find significantly more short domains available in extensions like .io, .app, or industry-specific TLDs.

The goal isn't to find the shortest possible domain. It's to find the right domain that people will remember, spell correctly, and associate with your brand. Sometimes that's 4 letters. Sometimes it's 7. The number matters less than the name itself.