Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#1

Post by yesthis » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 4:19 PM UTC

Hi HN! For those who aren't using a @gmail.com, what are you using? I'm trying to migrate off @gmail.com because of platform risk, but coming up with a domain name is hard! It must be professional! Bonus points if I can share the domain with family members for their use too.

Thanks for any help!

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#2

Post by jsheard » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 4:22 PM UTC

I've been using Fastmail for years and don't have any complaints. I only use a single account on my domain, but they do have a reasonably priced family plan which lets you run up to six accounts for $11/month.

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#3

Post by jfdi » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 4:26 PM UTC

Will typically connect Microsoft 365 email to owned domain and pricing is relatively cheap and it works great.

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#4

Post by hakkoru » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 4:36 PM UTC

I was able to get ".com" so I'm using that. Though obviously it might be taken if you have a common full name.

>Bonus points if I can share the domain with family members for their use too.

Maybe "thefamily.com"? Or something similar.

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#5

Post by theandrewbailey » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 4:39 PM UTC

I have the + my full name dot com. I use Fastmail with a catch all alias, and I canary trap the email addresses I give out.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canary_trap

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#6

Post by toomuchtodo » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 4:46 PM UTC

{last name}family.org, and I issue email addresses for everyone on a FastMail family plan. Some are mailboxes, some are aliases to other services (while maintaining portability). Domain is paid up for 10 years, FastMail as long as they’ll let me, admin info is in death plan for continuity.

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#7

Post by Brajeshwar » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 5:05 PM UTC

I'm lucky to be kinda early and book our {family}.com/.net/.org (and a few other TLDs). I kinda get regular emails to surrender that because it is also the name of a local community from an old kingdom/royal or something of that sort from my home town. I also own my {FirstName}.com as it is not a common name.

Own the domain, but outsource the manage of the mail to services that many others have mentioned here in this thread. No affiliation but I like migadu.com too (happy customer). I use it for many of my not-so used domains. I still use Google Workspace for all the primary mail domains, work domains, etc. It is much easier working with others/customers.

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#8

Post by riddley » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 5:54 PM UTC

I use fastmail to host my domains. You could try family.tld or thes.tld.

One tip: Since you can set up "fall through" emails with Fastmail, I'm able to use businessname@mydomain.tld for every business I interact with. Emails sent to those addresses will end up in my mailbox and I get the benefit of knowing who sells my email address. Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#9

Post by not_your_vase » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 5:57 PM UTC

I have $SURNAME dot me since a few years. I also have some addresses courtesy of cock.li. They are not considered to be professional-sounding in all circles though.

Re: Ask HN: Custom domain name for personal email?

#10

Post by austin-cheney » Sat, Mar 08, 2025, 6:13 PM UTC

These are available:

mudddy.io

catbocks.com

darkphox.org