Four-letter domains (LLLL)
Four-letter domains explained: all 456,976 LLLL.com names are registered, the Chinese-led boom, what makes one valuable, and tips for buying.
Four-letter domains, or LLLL names, sit right in the sweet spot between short and available. Every four-letter .com is taken, but there are enough of them that prices range from affordable to premium. They're also famous for one of the wildest booms in domain history.
How many are there?
- Letters only (LLLL): 26 × 26 × 26 × 26 = 456,976 combinations.
- Numbers only (NNNN): 10,000 combinations.
- "Chips" (no vowels, no V): 20 × 20 × 20 × 20 = 160,000 combinations.
The four-letter boom
In the early 2010s, demand for short .com names surged, led by buyers in China, where short letter and number combinations are popular. Investors registered every remaining four-letter combination, and by December 2013 a full check found that all 456,976 four-letter .com names were registered. Prices for even random four-letter names jumped, then cooled in later years as the boom faded.
What makes one worth more
- Real words: four-letter dictionary words (like the kinds of names big brands use) are the top tier and can sell for six or seven figures.
- Pronounceable brandables: names you can say as a word.
- Strong acronyms: initials used by many businesses.
- Chips: no vowels, no V, valued mainly by investors.
- Random letters: the lowest tier, often trading near a market floor price.
Four letters in other endings
Many four-letter .net, .org, .co, .io and .ai names are still available or cheap. Some four-letter .org names saw their own investor rush in the mid-2010s. For a business, a pronounceable four-letter .com is a strong brand. For investing, focus on quality over random letters.
Tips for buying
- Check recent four-letter sales on NameBio. Random-letter prices change a lot over time.
- Pay for pronounceable names and real words, not random combinations.
- Check that the letters don't match a known brand's trademark.
Sources
Questions
Are any four-letter .com domains available?
No. A full check in December 2013 found all 456,976 four-letter .com names registered.
Are four-letter domains a good investment?
Quality ones, like real words and pronounceable names, hold value best. Random-letter prices have swung a lot with demand.