- Rebecca Tomasis
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
The best domain extension for your personal website depends on your goals, industry and personality. While .com remains the most popular choice for all types of websites, extensions like .me, .blog and .design offer personal, relevant and modern alternatives.
What matters most is that your domain reflects you, your identity and your work.
When creating a personal website, whether it’s for your online portfolio, blog, resume or side hustle—choosing the right domain extension is an important step. While your domain name is what defines your brand, the domain extension (or TLD, top-level domain) is what adds credibility while reinforcing your brand identity too.
What is a domain extension?
A domain extension is the suffix at the end of a web address, think .com, .net, or .me.
It follows your chosen domain name (e.g., in johndoe.com, .com is the extension).
There are hundreds of domain extensions available today, including:
The most known and widely used: .com, .org, .net
Country codes: .us, .uk, .ca (sometimes these can only be used by companies and individuals in a specific country, sometimes they can be used by anyone regardless of location)
Specialty and newer extensions: .me, .blog, .design
Why domain extensions matter for your personal website
The extension you choose impacts your personal brand in multiple ways:
Credibility: Some extensions (like .com) are more trusted than newer or obscure ones.
Memorability: Familiar or meaningful extensions are easier to remember.
Branding: Creative extensions can reinforce your profession or personal identity.
The best domain extensions for personal websites
Here are the top domain extensions that are a good choice for personal websites, along with their main pros and cons.
01 .com
.com is the most recognizable and trusted domain extension worldwide. Even if your website is for persona use, .com still lends it legitimacy.
Pros
Globally trusted and familiar
Easy to remember
Works for any type of site
Cons
Many names are already taken because this is such a popular extension
It's not necessarily so unique, especially for a personal site or brand
Pro tip: If your exact name is taken, try creative alternatives like johnwrites.com, johndoeonline.com or meetjohn.com.
02. .me
.me is officially a country code donation extension for Montenegro but it’s marketed globally for personal websites. It’s short, friendly and has a personal feel.
Pros
Great for personal brands
Memorable and expressive
Often available when .com is not
Cons
Not as widely trusted as .com
Can seem informal depending on the use
Examples: johndoe.me, contactme.me, aboutjohn.me
03. .blog
If your personal site’s primary goal is blogging, .blog is a descriptive extension that tells visitors what to expect.
Pros
Instantly communicates the purpose of your site
Content-friendly and relatable
Still relatively available and non competitive
Cons:
May not fit non-blog content if you branch out into something else
Not as familiar to mainstream users
04. .site
.site is a flexible, neutral extension that works for most types of personal websites, especially portfolios.
Pros
Widely available as non competitive
Flexible use cases
Short and generic
Cons
Less trusted than .com, potentially
Can feel impersonal or generic
05. .design
If you’re building a creative portfolio, .design is a niche extension that helps make your domain name a statement about what you do.
Pros
Instantly tells users what you do
Adds creativity to your brand
Usually more available
Cons
Less familiar to some users
Not ideal if your career or business shifts later
06. .be
.be is a simple, modern domain extension that's bound to make your personal website stand out.
Pros
Short and simple
Often available
Cons
May lack clarity for personal use
May be harder for people to trust as its not often used
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