|  |  | | The first step to getting your own domain name is using InterNIC's free online search to see if the name is already taken. Next, you will enter the domain you want. You don't need the http://www part of the name, just the subdomain(s) and the top-level domain. | What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be? The only valid characters for a domain name are letters, numbers and a hyphen. Special characters like the underscore (_) or an exclamation mark (!) are NOT permitted. Domain names cannot contain spaces or begin or end with a hyphen. A domain name can be up to 26 characters long including the 4 characters used to identify the Top Level Domain (.NET, .COM, .ORG, or .EDU). | | |