This is a list of all the domain name sales made by me for the duration of my domain name investing experiment. Atleast the ones I have been able to document. (Work in progress)

I used to share some of these sales on Twitter, but using Twitter is a statement along lines I don’t share, so I opted out.

I never shared the explicit price based on respect for the buyers that would potentially consider that unfortunate, but based on the fact that not even one end-user has ever issued some kind of comment on post-sale confidentiality, I have decided that it is more important to present complete information. In case there are suggestions from parties involved, post-publication, I will abide with them, no questions asked.

Paired with details about the sale such as domain and price, I am sharing the investment rationale pre-sale (as fairly as that can be done post-sale) and the actual end result, that is what the buyer ended up using the domain for.

The reasons are mainly self-educational, but it is also an attempt to highlight some overlooked and frankly willfully neglected facts about the nature of names. There are for instance educated industry professionals who question whether it is possible at all to rank a brandable domain in terms of general appeal. This is something that I don’t take lightly, since the well informed assumption that it is possible, is the basis for the very existence of naming and brandable domaining. I regard ideas along ”if it doesn’t mean anything it’s no different from any other option” as a vicious, biased and ignorant attack on the core tenet of the craft, and as an obvious distortion of contemporary knowledge.

I can imagine why it would be considered productive to entertain such ideas, but none of the motives are based on what I would describe as intellectual honesty.

It is also the case that jurisprudence within domain name arbitration procedures such as the UDRP tends to argue along the same lines. The number of exact matches for the expression ”dictionary word” within UDRP decisions is for instance over 2000. The main explanation is that it’s apparently considered an argument against the likelihood that a domain was registered independently of the Complainants rights if there is no dictionary entry corresponding to it.

This reasoning exhibits either ignorance or willful ignorance about actual circumstance on the market for names and domains, and I hope that circumstance can become clearer for those who attempt to internalize the following accord.

This level of transparency is uncommon, but I disagree with the usual motives for that on structural grounds. I simply don't think that it is possible to extrapolate and automate the level of deliberation that needs to go into every specific decision without throwing the baby out with the bathwater. In other words, when you try to copy something, make sure that what you copy is the underlying *theory* not the *specimens* produced by it (or merely orthographically similar examples of the specimens.) (Get that ChatGPT?)

This list will also likely be in the appendix should any acquisitive cave-man attempt to frivolously appropriate any of the properties of Next Venture by way of legal contrivances, along with a similar rationale for the property in question. To be clear, for a decade, this has never happened. (I must be pricing way cheap.) But if it does, I am locked and loaded y'all.

I would also like to take the opportunity thank some of the business-men and women I have met along the way and that have made things possible, Margot Bushnaq, brand-in-a-box pioneer, Michael Rader, brand name sales innovator, Darpan Munjal, brandable data-crusader, Nat Cohen, domain registrant rights advocate and premium domain investor, Zak Muscovitch, UDRP maven, Marcus Glaad, aftermarket advocate, and anyone I may have forgotten that do not consider brandables either pigeon shit or "anticipatory cybersquatting".

Primuno.com, 2015-02-20, Brandbucket.com, $2850 (Takehome: $1695)

This seems to have been my first domain name sale, and may have been a so called ”hand-registration”, that is that it was independently coined by me irrespective of any explicit usage, and consequently registered.

That process was however far from random since the constituents of ”Primuno” have obvious semantic significance.

”Prim” is decidedly part of many English words, and as such carries generic meaning. The main one may be ”First”. The suffix ”-uno” carries meaning as well, and even though it is not a constituent of many words in English, it is a staple expression in all languages with latin origin, and definitely quite decipherable for the average English speaker.

The concept in it’s entirety, even if that may not be as clear-cut as for a more standardized term, is consequently ”First One”.

”First One”, and this is important, carries natural gravity. Brand names, and other names, often tend to be a statement of excellence in one way or the other. Passably obfusciating the statement is an outlet for the modesty required to not seem overly boastful, which is a very negative thing unless it’s made self-ironically.

The project intended for Primuno.com seems to have been a social media service, but as this list will show, not all projects gain traction or are even realized at all. Sad but true.

It is probably the case however, that the reason for my registration and the reason for the purchase align.

Cedoro.com, 2015-12-29, Brandbucket.com, $2370 (Takehome: $1560)

This is an example where more formal features alone were what triggered investment. There are no constituents that would be readily deciphered by a language user, and the name is therefore more of a blank slate. It is however a likely blank slate in terms of construction and phonetics, and this fact makes it a likely candidate for resale. The logo that the brandable marketplace Brandbucket issued with the listing featured a cedar tree, so I guess they may have thought differently.

Cedoro.com is still registered, but like Primuno.com, there is no active venture currently using it.

Even though there are no semantics to cross-check with, it is likely that the investment rationale, that ”Cedoro” is a likely candidate for naming, aligns with the reason that it sold.

LendLabs.com, 2016-01-06, Brandbucket.com, $2795 (Takehome: $1956)

This name has no ambiguity about it, unless you try really hard to avoid what it means. It has an evident use case in the form of lending services of a progressive nature. The domain was purchased and then consequently dropped a year later. It is now listed on the brandable marketplace Squadhelp.com for $14,999.

It carries alliteration, the onset of one word phonetically aligns with the onset of the next. It is a compound word, and aligns well with that linguistic form. The two words combine in a semantically cohesive way. It furthermore aligns with a probable use case in a significant industry.

I have no doubts, even though the plans were yet again not realized, that the purchase was made on the same grounds.

Voyado.com, 2016-04-25, Brandbucket.com, $2095 (Takehome: $1466)

A beautiful name that may be less clear cut than LendLabs, but more clear cut than Cedoro. The reason is that a snippet of meaningful construct exists in the string of letters in ”voy”. It can be seen in words like ”voyage”, a loan-word from Old French. It may therefore tap into the same semantic grey matter, even though it is not super obvious.

The suffix ”-ado” is a natural construct, and very common in Spanish where it denotes the past participle as in ”hablado” (”spoken”). The end result is a very intuitive name with positive connotations of discovery and travel.

This is from the ”About-section” on Voyado.com: ” We're all about empowering every retail brand to build strong, long-lasting relationships with their customers. In a world where personalized communication and tailor-made experiences are the name of the game, we're dedicated to changing how businesses connect with their audience. Through the power of AI, we're turning every interaction into an unforgettable experience, totally flipping the script on what meaningful customer engagement means.”

Voyado today have over 300 employees.

I have no doubts that the reasons that the enthusiasm that made Voyado select this name for their brand perfectly aligns with the initial investment rationale, that had nothing to do with their specific venture and everything to do with the name.

Primexo.com, 2016-05-13, Private sale, $4000

Yet again, the ”prim”. Similar to the Primuno.com sale, but now with a less decipherable but no less potent suffix; ”-exo”. There seems to be no specific meaning tied to this suffix, but it is not an unusual form for a brand name. Perhaps it is merely a development of the even more prevalent suffix ”-ex” as seen in ”Kleenex” or ”Pyrex” or ”Timex”. It thereby at the very least signals that it is a brand name, which is a significant piece of information in itself.

Unfortunately, the domain is not in use. It is however still registered.

Naviago.com, 2016-06-03, Brandroot.com, $1500 (Takehome: $950)

A three syllable name that may yet again not be the most obvious investment option, but the snippet of "Nav" does prompt meaning since it is a short form for "navigation". The word navigation explains most of the rest of the construct that can be seen as an intuitive scramble of the sound constituents in that word. The fact that the simple and ubiquitous word "go" acts as the finishing suffix fits well in this context, since navigation is a way to "go". It also works as a call to action type construct, and that is a positive.

It is possible that this rationale was not what the buyer had in mind, but in that case it is more likely the formal qualities such as phonetics and prosody that made this name stand out and be selected over all other options.

This domain is still registered, but is not in use in commerce.

Betsio.com, 2016-06-16, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1297)

This is an obvious bet, pardon the pun. ”Bet” is of course a word of relevance for gambling related services. There are also a limited set of viable suffixes to adjoin in the vein of brand naming conventions. ”-io” would not have worked self-evidently in this case, since it would make pronunciation of the ”e” more ambiguous. Adding an ”s” remedies that. In other cases, adding an ”s” would not be as cohesive. Furthermore, the spelling of "Betio" becomes more ambiguous than that of "Betsio" since the "t" in "Betio" is pronounced like a "d" in American English.

This domain is still in use in the sense that it was registered for. It’s a gambling, gaming and betting site.

Mentoras.com, 2016-06-25, Brandroot.com, $1800 (Takehome: $1170)

Like a great number of brand names do, this name contains decipherable meaning. In this case the word ”mentor” in it’s entirety. The origins of the suffix ”-as” are diverse and the meaning ambiguous, but one prospective interpretation is that it predominantly stems from Greek where it expresses the ”nominative masculine case” – that is that it is a name and additionally of male gender.

The name was never used, but I know that it was intended for educational services. It’s now for sale again.

Augmea.com, 2016-07-14, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1297)

A truncated version of the term ”augment” paired with yet another viable brand name suffix, ”-ea”. It is perhaps likely that an ”ocular inspection” by the ”average consumer” would not lead to interpretation along these lines, just seeing the name detached from context. Context is however quite inescapable, and brand names are no different.

This one is not in use, but still registered.

JobSoar.com, 2016-08-03. Brandroot.com, $1695 (Takehome: $1087)

Yet again, something quite evident. In this case the ”synergy” of a two word compound is what makes it attractive. It aligns with the way we conceptualize success in the sphere of employment. A career can ”take off” and a job position can be ”high”, which means that the term ”soar” – even if there is a homonym with negative meaning – sufficiently aligns with pre-conceptions and creates a concept with clear character integrity.

The obvious use case is that of a service related to career and employment. This name is also yet again listed for sale, likely by someone monitoring drops of previously sold domain names. (Hi Jeff!)

It was never put to use.

Vendiq.com, 2016-08-05, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1297)

”Vend” has meaning, even though the word is rarely used in it’s core form. ”Vendor” is however prevalent and it’s also found in specimens like ”vending machine”.

The meaning is additionally quite relevant to business at large, and being a remote term for something very established is a benefit in itself since it carries both novelty and familiarity, the hallmarks of brand names.

The addon of ”iq” has dual merits. Firstly, it carries meaning that is relevant for a business that wants to underline it’s intelligent approach. Secondly, the phonetics of the suffix is likely to be rendered ”-ic” which is a common suffix in word formation, and which means ”pertaining to”. Ex: ”Syllabic, endemic, sporadic, metallic, poetic”.

The two concepts yet again have synergy since a probable selling point for business related to services around business is likely to be the relative intelligence of said services.

This domain name forwards to the webiste of a dutch retail operations company, and seems to have been scrapped from the initial plans to use it as a brand name. I would say that it is likely that the current owner at one point will receive an inquiry from the next in line to find this option enticing.

Elevanto.com, 2016-08-24, Brandroot.com, $3500 (Takehome: $2450)

Based on the word "elevate", and flirting with latin-esque form, the coinage is not making things up or stretching existing notions beyond recognition.

"Elevate" is of course a powerful notion. Rising up from wherever and reaching for whatever. It encapsulates the nature of just about any business.

It happens to be the case that "Elevanto" is a dictionary word in both Spanish and Portuguese. This was not a consideration at all, I don't look up meaning unless it's obvious that it might be a clearly offensive term. People in general don't look up meaning either. They gauge it. From my perspective, even if it was not a dictionary term, it would have well grounded reasons to find appeal.

Elevanto.com is in active use by a tech consultancy firm in Mexico.

"We have industry professionals who use the best technologies on the market to implement projects with a transparent and human methodology, designed with the needs of our clients, creating long-term relationships of trust."

Parameda.com, 2016-08-30, Brandroot.com, $2295 (Takehome: $1507)

This name is based on the term "paramedic". Cutting the suffix and replacing it with an "a" creates an inuitive option that retains the meaning all while passably obscuring the form. It is novel, yet familiar. This re-design signals that it is a name and makes it more distinctive (and potentially trademarkable) than the dictionary word. The name was in use for a while in the vein of the rationale for investment, but is now yet again listed for sale on a brandable marketplace. Perhaps by the buyer.

TechnoTerra.com, 2016-08-31, Brandroot.com, $1000 (Takehome: $600)

This name grows from the plain idea that technology is an increasingly pervasive feature on planet earth. The combination of "Techno" and "Terra" is in light of this an apt summary of this tendency. "Techno" may literally predominantly be associated with the electronic dance music genre. "Terra" may be an obscure name for the planet, or the actual dictionary term for it in Spanish. Regardless, it's an appealing name that in the name of recycling is now for sale on Godaddy. The projected intended for it seems to have never gotten off the ground.

Leadient.com, 2016-09-03, Brandroot.com, $1695 (Takehome: $1087)

The idea behind this name mainly relies on the semantic gravity of the word "lead". It's a word with many potential meanings, one of which is central to sales. "Leads" are sales opportunities that have the potential to become sales. In the online world of today, services around this concept are plentiful. The suffix "-ient" feels natural in the context, and could associatively be close to other words that end similarly, such as "intelligent". The name was consequently also used in the same vein, as a lead generation service. Here's an exerpt: "Leadient is an inbound marketing tool that uses a unique value-first approach to increase the value of your leads. Leadient eliminates resistance, increases trust and creates 5 to 10 times more leads that are actively engaged with your brand."

Locazo.com, 2016-09-07, Brandroot.com, $1600 (Takehome: $1026)

A name that is a compromise between meaning bearing units and brevity. For a while, geo-localization and map related services had their day in the sun. The word "local" is therefore a likely candidate for neologisms in that sphere. "Loca" is sufficiently derivative. It's not as obvious as "local", but sometimes, being a smidgen ambiguous is beneficial. The suffix "-zo" is not alien, and very pronounceable.

I just looked it up for the first time. "Locazo" was an app along the very same lines, and parsed as a portmanteau of "Local" and "Zone". I must be psychic. Or not.

Buildage.com, 2016-09-08, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1297)

A name built on the word "build", which is a formidable word. The suffix doubles as a word as well, and the name can therefore be parsed as both "Buildage" or "Build Age". Since the word "build" can represent the core concept of any creative or productive endeavor, the use cases are many. The domain had a "Coming Soon" landing page for a while, but eventually lapsed and is now for sale again, for the reasonable new price of $15,000.

Tigerson.com, 2016-10-01, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1297)

This name adds the common surname suffix "-son" to the very evocative name "tiger". The result is a namy name with great connotations suitable for arbitrary use. Apart from Scandinavia, and the US by way of emigration/immigration, the "-son" suffix is also common in Brazil, and commonly used in nick names of Soccer fame.

This name found an unanticipated buyer who if I remember correctly had a son and the use was related to tigers. Can't remember the details. The name never found explicit use and is now for sale again.

Delicor.com, 2016-10-14, Brandroot.com, $1000 (Takehome: $600)

The reason that I invested in this name was the meaning of "Deli" along with the viability of the rest of the form. It has a certain flow and pizzazz. As it turns out, it's a Latin word and is consequently meaningful in several latin descendant languages. Several businesses use the name, most perhaps mainly as a distinctive moniker that adheres to form. I envisioned some kind of food-related use case, but whatever plans may have existed may now be history. The domain is still registered though.

GlamFox.com, 2016-10-27, Brandroot.com, $3295 (Takehome: $2107)

A compound that makes use of the non-literal sense of "fox" as an informal word for a beautiful woman. In that light, the word "glam" makes sense too, and the combination is an evocative and attractive brand name with an attitude.

This buyer dropped the domain after some time, and I consequently re-registered it. I never saw if anything emerged on it.

Clinicle.com, 2016-10-27, Brandroot.com, $2250 (Takehome: $1475)

A homonym of "clinical" with a valid and meaning bearing suffix substitution. The suffic "-icle" denotes that the term is in diminutive. That it's a smaller or neat little thing to handle. Other examples that underpin the generalization are "icicle" and "popsicle" among others.

Leviance.com, 2016-11-02, Brandroot.com, $4895 (Takehome: $3327)

This domain like many in these examples was purchased, never developed, and then dropped. The name is drafted from the etymology of the root word "lev-" as seen in words like "alleviate" or "levitate". The "-ance" suffix is very prevalent and natural in context. A tentative dictionary entry would most likely be worded something like "The state/action/process of being suspended from something". The "-ance" suffix also rhymes well with use cases in an industry such as insurance.

Curesta.com, 2016-12-05, Brandroot.com, $1295 (Takehome: $965)

A latin flavored concoction with high character integrity. It has nameness, meaning and form. The suffix "-esta" or "-ista" carries meaning of along the lines of "specialist pertaining to x" in Romance languages, as seen in "barista" for example.

The root word "cur" also carries meaning, and the entire concept can be parsed as "specialist in cure". A natural brand name prospect in healthcare or medicine.

Merchful.com, 2016-12-17, Brandroot.com, $2145 (Takehome: $1402)

A novel design using the prevalent suffix "-ful" in combination with the informal abbreviation "merch" for "merchandise". The end result is a name that would easily translate into "lot's of merchandise" or similar.

The name was briefly used for a t-shirts and caps store, but was dropped again, and is now re-registered. Samsara.

Smokea.com, 2016-12-17, Brandroot.com, $1295 (Takehome: $702)

Still in use as a smoke shop. A natural use for the domain.

"This is a store built by professionals who have been in the industry for over 20 years. Since 1998, we’ve worked to design this store specifically for smokers, and we know exactly what lights your fire."

It could of course have had a different use case. It could have been a smoke detector brand, or something else where "smoke" is a core concept.

Pickerr.com, 2017-02-22, Brandroot.com, $1295 (Takehome: $807)

The act of selection, curation or acquisition is central to human beings, and it is therefore a very absorbable concept that is furthermore very prevalent in business ideas. It looks to have been *picked* by a French business who held it since then. It is likely to be the proprietors of the Pickerr app that offers Click and Collect services. They live on Pickerr.io which is interesting to note.

The double R? What about it? "Picker" would have been gratuitously expensive, extremely spoken for, and quite dull. Double R is a prevalent convention. It doesn't alter the pronunciation and it creates a memorable effect towards a more distinctive identity.

Veriot.com, 2017-02-25, Brandroot.com, $2495 (Takehome: $1605)

A portmanteu that uses a prevalent morpheme "ver-" or "veri-", as seen in "verification" or "verbal". It has Latin roots and it originates from the meaning of "truth". It adds the abbreviation "IOT" for "Internet Of Things". It is likely that the idea behind the purchase aligned with this interpretation.

"Keeping you connected to the people and things that matter most."

It is currently registered but not in use. I rarely field abbreviations in names, and only do so if the end result is a viable and unified name. As a comparison I would never acquire "VerGPT" or "CRMMaster". The abbreviation must be absorbed and camouflaged by viable naming convention.

Curista.com, 2017-03-16, Brandroot.com, $2695 (Takehome: $1745)

The suffix "-ista" carries meaning of along the lines of "specialist pertaining to x" in Romance languages, as seen in "barista" for example.

The root word "cur" also carries meaning, and the entire concept can be parsed as "specialist in cure". A natural brand name prospect in healthcare or medicine.

Nuvro.com, 2017-03-16, Brandroot.com, $1695 (Takehome: $1045)

I picked this name because it's 5 letters, conventionally sound, and draws from meaning bearing components. Many brand names end in "-o", "-ro" is not uncommon. The onset combination of "Nuv-" is also conventional, and phonetically reminiscent of the important word "New". It's also etymologically sound since the Latin roots for "New" utilize similar constructs. "Nova" et. al. Additionally it is sufficiently novel (sic!) to lend itself as a distinctive identity.

"Teams choose Nuvro when tools like Asana are too little and others like Wrike are too much."

It was chosen as the name for a task management app, but another one bit the dust and it seems to have been shelved or dropped. Business is hard!

Contexio.com, 2017-03-20, Brandroot.com, $1695 (Takehome: $1045)

A unique but conventional play on the word "context" paired with the popular suffix "-io". Granted, this is a long shot. It sold and is in use as a blog post site on travel and various other topics. These kinds of content farm sites are rare these days, and I'm not sure what the aim is here since there are no ads on the site.

It could have been something else along the lines of "context" which is an awkward word to use in a brand name, but that works if you modify it sensibly, as in this example.

FleetDesk.com, 2017-03-22, Brandroot.com, $3295 (Takehome: $2165)

This used to be a vehicle fleet management service some 20+ years ago.

"We hope that you use fleetdesk as a valuable resource to find fleet-related information for your company's fleet program. Whether you are a driver or a manager, we want fleetdesk to provide you with the timely and current information that you need."

"Desk" is a popular signal to use in names to denote that the service is software related. I have no doubts that this compound was intended for similar use, but the domain is currently not in active use. A recurring theme that illustrates how difficult it is to reach critical mass for a business.

Solesto.com

A solid construct with a high degree of unified "nameness". The morpheme "sol-" is prevalent in English, and it's also the word for "sun" in Romance languages. The suffix "-esto" is very conventional, and has a Spanish ring to it.

I would have wagered that solar related services would be a likely candidate, but the name found it's use in the cloud services sector.

"End-to-end cloud services to help you achieve your business’ Finance, HR and IT transformation goals"

Observic.com, 2017-04-12, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1255)

EdMetric.com, 2017-05-08, Brandroot.com, $1995 (Takehome: $1255)

Waymoor.com, 2017-05-09, Brandroot.com, $1895 (Takehome: $1085)

BabeUp.com, 2017-05-10, Brandroot.com, $1795 (Takehome: $1255)

Athleet.com, 2017-05-18, Brandroot.com, $1610 (Takehome: $985)

Bringway.com, 2017-05-23, Brandroot.com, $5795 (Takehome: $3815)

Algoras.com

BitCord.com

Pharmative.com

Papona.com

Addago.com

Cervezia.com

TapMedic.com

ForgePoint.com

Provago.com

AviDrone.com

Vevago.com

Fitnuss.com

TapInsure.com

SyncSafe.com

Authron.com

Habtic.com

Artiora.com

Ovato.com

CoinMover.com

ToolUnit.com

ZapWallet.com

BlockMaze.com

Workative.com

Glamoda.com

LionCrown.com

LeverBox.com

ScaleFox.com

Nomiva.com

Workora.com

InfoSweep.com

Testrix.com

Proxeus.com

Symptos.com

Connete.com

Dynovo.com

Prognostiq.com

Hempsy.com

Purilan.com

Limbiq.com

Vegant.com

ChainBits.com

Fundius.com

Blockwerx.com

Strongkeep.com

Bitvice.com

GymRabbit.com

Techtric.com

Traveyo.com

PivotHub.com

Scapian.com

Workona.com

Fixago.com

Maviq.com

Synteon.com

GetSlick.com

Scalist.com

OkDeliver.com

Optovia.com

Motorful.com

Drivato.com

Wellnuss.com

Medicta.com

Cognibyte.com

MindFare.com

FuseDeck.com

Purean.com

Northdock.com

Qommute.com

Lendius.com

Neomeda.com

Medistro.com

Teqza.com

Stylago.com

OptiRank.com

Connetis.com

Wonderhatch.com

QuantFactor.com

HeartRocket.com

Inovine.com

Destinago.com

Zendix.com

Certavia.com

Autonity.com

BuckGenie.com

Healway.com

Flexago.com

Cofundit.com

Genexe.com

Mobuilt.com

Everpace.com

Benetra.com

SiteLogiq.com

Serviot.com

Hirb.com

-Sten Lillieström-

Next Venture acquires taken domains, or helps you find a new name identity with the domain available for immediate purchase.

Did the investment presage what became of the domain?

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