Do you use custom email for personal use?

Increasingly, I see more people using emails like john.doe@john.doe.com or me@john.doe.com and the like.

I'm wondering whether you're using this kind of custom email (@name), or still you're relying on Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo... for personal use. If you have you own domain, why are you using it? What benefits do you have over using free providers?

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

darkerosxx

I use a personal one, but mainly just because it's fun and I think it adds a little bit of flair when you give it out to people.

Asif Dasl

I use a free one for my personal email but I am looking to buy a domain with my surname - that way my future family can use it instead of Gmail or Outlook.com

The best thing about a personal domain is that you can create your own website (if you can be bothered, that is) or you can just point it towards your LinkedIn profile for instance...

cyberguypr

I use firstname@lastname.com. I still get a kick out of people saying "no sir it doesn't work like that. Your email, like yahoo, hotmail, etc." I also use regularly my Rocketmail (now Yahoo) address and love when youngsters are trying to figure out what the heck Rocketmail is.

MSP-IT

I use my @ieee.org address. A few of my techie friends were impressed.

cyberguypr wrote: »

I use firstname@lastname.com. I still get a kick out of people saying "no sir it doesn't work like that. Your email, like yahoo, hotmail, etc."

That's great.

jvrlopez

I used to have my name registered as a domain and point to my online profile (bio, etc). More of a gag than anything else.

Trifidw

cyberguypr wrote: »

I use firstname@lastname.com. I still get a kick out of people saying "no sir it doesn't work like that. Your email, like yahoo, hotmail, etc." I also use regularly my Rocketmail (now Yahoo) address and love when youngsters are trying to figure out what the heck Rocketmail is.

I either get a "riiight" from the person wanting it as they write it down, or alternatively I have to explain why I can't be normal and use myname@gmail.com.

But to answer the OP, yes I do and I use a unique alias for every company I give it out to to avoid spam.

DevilWAH

One day I will bother setting it up

sadly my last-name is not one that is available but I could use my registered domain.

If I could get name@com or .co.uk I would, but I think all these thousands of random domain names now are getting silly.

I was tempted with

aaron@availableand.sexy

but not sure the wife would approve.

Asif Dasl

@DevilWAH - you could try .uk or .email or .mail when that becomes available. Sadly someone has already registered MySurname.email

I think the new domains are great, there was a monopoly of domains for far too long and people will get used to using the new domains very quickly.

I'd say plenty of companies will change their domains over when they get easy to remember domains. The only thing against the new domains is how they will perform in SEO rankings. I've heard that country-code domains like .us .cc and others like .uk.com don't rank all that well with Google. So how these new domains perform in Google is up for debate..

Trifidw

Asif Dasl wrote: »

I think the new domains are great, there was a monopoly of domains for far too long and people will get used to using the new domains very quickly.

I couldn't disagree more. They cheapen the web and releasing the .uk along side .co.uk region based domains will not increase the available options when you are essentially forced in buying the .uk equivalent.

Asif Dasl

I disagree with you too...

The sooner there is less-domains-with-dashes the better! And if you run a business then you should be trademarking your name so you are protected against people stealing your domain anyway.

Businesses can afford an extra .uk domain cost, if they can't then there is something wrong with them. The fact that Nominet is running .uk means there is a shortage of good memorable .co.uk domains.

Good domains sell for big money too, why not drop the cost so that there is more choice? More choice = better.

cyberguypr

Ahhh, dashes! One tech site that saw their traffic go down when they introduced the dash in their domain: Experts Exchange

Asif Dasl

cyberguypr wrote: »

Ahhh, dashes! One tech site that saw their traffic go down when they introduced the dash in their domain: Experts Exchange

I wouldn't be surprised if they get experts.exchange ! .exchange is to be released soon I think...

networker050184

I use first@last.net for my personal email besides signing up for websites or other crap that might spam me.

Trifidw

Asif Dasl wrote: »

I disagree with you too... The sooner there is less-domains-with-dashes the better! And if you run a business then you should be trademarking your name so you are protected against people stealing your domain anyway.

Businesses can afford an extra .uk domain cost, if they can't then there is something wrong with them. The fact that Nominet is running .uk means there is a shortage of good memorable .co.uk domains.

Good domains sell for big money too, why not drop the cost so that there is more choice? More choice = better.

You need to pick a good unique name, allowing some random to buy google.ninja is not good for anyone. And as per this thread it's not only businesses that own domains however it is still a waste of money for all domain owners.

DevilWAH

If you buy a trademark bame , you can be stopped from using it. So while buying Google.ninja might seem a good move, you are very unlikly ever to profit. Google will stop you using it if you trt to use it to take there business.
Yes for a personal email it might be OK. But try to use it for business and a hefty law suit coming your way.

finhack

I use my own domain name where I host my blog (using Linode), my security research advisories and proof of concepts etc.

it is hosted on Google Apps to use it as functioning email as well, couldn't be bothered with hosting my own email as it too much of a hassle.

DevilWAH

Spoke to work today as we are an institute and the domain companyname.institute was free. Seemed an optunity not to miss. But managers said no!

So I registered it to me

might set up a rival site!

No seriously if your institute was called "the guildford institute" would you not want the domain Guildford.institute?

aquilla

I just use Gmail for my personal email.

I would like to get my surname as a domain name to have first@last.co.uk but I share my last name the following publishing company - O'Reilly Media so it makes it kinda hard!

chanakyajupudi

I use a first name @lastname.in

I started noticing that some websites especially security based ones would not accept a free email to sign in or get replied to. For example eccouncil.

Also it just sounds cooler when given on a resume or a business card.

i also started a website to showcase skills and a resume via LinkedIN . firstname.lastname.in

Asif Dasl

DevilWAH wrote: »

Spoke to work today as we are an institute and the domain companyname.institute was free. Seemed an optunity not to miss. But managers said no!

So I registered it to me might set up a rival site!

No seriously if your institute was called "the guildford institute" would you not want the domain Guildford.institute?

If you are not snapping up domain names now you are missing an opportunity. I'm going to max out my credit card at this rate - NOT that I'm going to get all the ones I'm after, so wouldn't really max out the credit card! Anyways I am making a list of domain I want to get, probably have more luck winning the lottery TBH but we'll have a go anyways...

paul78

I use firstname@firstnamelastname.com as well. I have it for my wife and kids too. I have a common lastname and I waited too long many years ago to register lastname.com and lastname.net. Ever since then - I tend to register lastname.tld whenever some TLD is available that I think I may want.

I original started to use a personal email a long time ago before there was gmail. Back then it was a good learning opportunity for me to learn. I had setup my own DNS servers and email servers. Today, I use a commercial provider for email but lately I've been thinking about upgrading my home FIOS internet to a commercial FIOS account so I can host my own email, etc.

TheProf

I actually have both. I have a Gmail account for things that I'll sign up online from time to time, but I also have a personal domain that I use for personal more serious things.

NovaHax

Roll out the .ninja email addresses