Band Web Site

Question for you internet geeks.

My band has still been tossing  around idea’s for a name. Just when we think we have a cool unique name, bam, some band has done it. This is discovered by just a quick cursory google check.

Well, we think we have come up with a name that a band has not grabbed onto… yet. I did a check and came up with a butt load of hits, but no band names or sites.

I can type in the address line, variations of what I presumed site would be to check. Sometimes I see various iterations. Other times it comes up blank.

My question is, what more can I do to validate we have something we can take ownership too. Is there a website to check domain names?  Or do we have to wait to apply (go daddy) to find out?

Also, the best situation for us is to have our bandname.com, but that is taken by a graphic web site that just uses it for a splash page. I guess we could contact him to negotiate something. Otherwise come up a variation? Bandname.net?

Thoughts?