News & insights

The Nameups desk.

Field notes on domain investing, branding and the business of digital real estate — written for founders, investors and the merely curious.

Market 9 min read

The Anatomy of a Million-Dollar Domain

What separates a $500 name from a $5,000,000 one? We break down the five forces — extension, length, meaning, memorability and market timing — that decide a domain's true worth, with real comparable sales from the past decade.

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Extensions 7 min read

Why .com Still Rules in the Age of .ai

New extensions arrive every year, yet the .com keeps its crown. We examine the psychology of trust, the muscle-memory of typing, and why even AI-first startups quietly secure their .com before launch.

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Buying 6 min read

Lease-to-Own: Premium Names Without the Premium Cheque

How instalment financing is opening five- and six-figure domains to early-stage founders — and why sellers who offer it close more deals at higher prices.

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Branding 8 min read

The Hidden Frequency: Numerology in Brand Names

From Cheiro to modern brand consultants, the Chaldean system has quietly shaped naming for a century. We explore what the numbers mean — and how to read the frequency on every name in our collection.

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Trust 5 min read

Escrow Explained: How Six Figures Change Hands Safely

A plain-English walkthrough of how domain escrow protects both buyer and seller, step by step, so no one ever has to send money on faith.

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Selling 10 min read

Selling a Domain in 2026: A Realistic Playbook

Pricing, positioning, outreach and patience. The honest mechanics of turning an idle domain into a closed sale — and the mistakes that leave money on the table.

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