Is using YourRealName.com safe?

I was thinking about registering my real name .com so that I have my own unique email address. For example mail@johnsmith.com

I'm not sure how safe it is. DreamHost keeps our information private, but I just don't know as I will be using my name.

What do you think?

Which one are you? (grin)

The reality is that the "name" isn't the scary thing.

It's the name/address/phone number/SSN/Blood type and food preference combination that is scary.



Wholly - Use promo code WhollyMindless for discount.

I guess, to a great degree, the answer to that question has a lot to do with what risk you perceive to be associated with doing that.

What do you perceive as the potential harm from having a domain that is your real name?

--rlparker

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It's the name/address/phone number/SSN/Blood type and food preference combination that is scary.

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... and whether or not your site featuring "girly goats gone wild" might be embarrassing to you at some level?

--rlparker

That goes without saying... Some content has to be behind the alias despite what the government wants.

Wholly - Use promo code WhollyMindless for discount.

I don't think there's anything particularly bad about registering the domain itself. As others have said, it's what you post on it that's the iffy part.

The fact that you exist and that there's a John Smith in the world is one thing.

Another thing to think about is that real world mailing lists make it difficult to keep your existence - or even your address, truly private.

It's no worse than using your real name on the Internet. I somehow ended up with mine, but I think it's pretty worthless. I don't want an "all about *ME! ME! ME!* site. Then again, I'm not famous. If I made money off my name, then I would.

-Scott

I would not have anything on the site. I would only use it as an email address.

I think it's redundant to have first@firstlast.com as an email address. I'd rather have first@somethingclever.com. But it's preference, and really no risk as long as you're sensible.

-Scott

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I'd rather have first@somethingclever.com.

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Yes! I though that would be cool too, but unfortunately "Your Mom" beat me to it!

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Please note: the registrant of the domain name is specified
in the "registrant" field. In most cases, GoDaddy.com, Inc.
is not the registrant of domain names listed in this database.


Registrant:
Your Mom
1563 Cricket Club Circle
Apartment 303
Orlando, Florida 32828
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: SOMETHINGCLEVER.COM
Created on: 10-Aug-03
Expires on: 09-Aug-08
Last Updated on: 05-Oct-07

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--rlparker

Interestingly enough, somethingcleverer.com is hosted here. somethingmoreclever.com is available, as is somethingcleverest.com. Is there a limit on how long a domain name can be? ithoughtofsomethingcleverbutyourmombeatmetoit.com is available.

-Scott

Well, according to RFC 1035 (the DNS one), 2.3.1, labels (that is parts of domain names separated by dots) may not exceed 63 characters in length. 2.3.4 elaborates on the limits a bit; the entire hostname may not exceed 255 characters in length. It's entirely possible that some registries apply further limits on name length, but the above is the bare minimum (well, maximum) of what is required by the DNS RFCs.

As to the OP : I have been using my real name in my domain/email address for years. If you communicate with people using your real name, there is really no difference between doing it as JohnSmith@gmail.google.com or John@smith.org. If you have any domain at all you are probably going to have your address public, as well (though "privacy cloakers" such as DreamHost exist; you can cut down on the spam to the hostmaster-address somewhat doing that, but other than that it's really not that useful; don't believe for a second that they are going to keep your details confidential in face of a subpoena, for instance).
(and if you are looking at not changing your mail address for a long, long time, you should probably plan on getting really strong, strong filters. The amount of crap being slugged at your address increases every year :)

Somethingclever.net registration is "something clever" too, and at DreamHost. .ORG is expired and almost available.

In reply to:

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Registrant:
Devlyn McSnootypuss
General Delivery
Portland, Oregon 97201
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: SOMETHINGCLEVER.NET
Created on: 03-Jan-03
Expires on: 03-Jan-09
Last Updated on: 07-Jul-07

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.DREAMHOST.COM
NS2.DREAMHOST.COM
NS3.DREAMHOST.COM

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How often do they check for mail at general delivery? ;-)

I think yourname@somethingclever.tld is about as good as somethingclever@yourname.tld. Both have something clever, and your name. The former gives you the option of leaving yourname out of it (barring subpoenas), but the latter does not. Yourname@yourname.tld does seem redundant.

The contrast between the 2 sites is a little interesting. somethingclever.com is minimalist - even more so with javascript off - but somethingclever.net is quite the "ranting" blog - even with javascript off.

.name is the top level domain that's officially intended for personal sites and email.

-- Dan