151.com, which recently sold for $415,000, could have a lot of uses in China.
A couple of days ago I read in Namebio that the numeric domain 151.com sold for $415,000. While I have not come across any business in the west using a numeric domain, it is quite common in China.
In terms of price, 151.com is certainly not the most expensive 3N domain ever sold. For example, Namebio reports 114.com at $2.1 million (2013) and 588.com at $1 million (2015). However, 151.com has the highest price in the last four years.
Similar domains are already used in corporate China. The 2019 Top 100 Chinese Internet Companies Report indicates two companies preferring such domains. No. 9 360 Total Security (三六零安全科技) is an internet security company operating from 360.com. The number 360 suggests comprehensive services covering all aspects of security. No. 92 Chuang Lan (创蓝) provides SMS services from 253.com. Apparently, there is no connection between Chuang Lan and the number 253 and no meaning is attached to the domain.
151.com is a good domain in my opinion. It’s well balanced on both ends with 1, and 5 sits in the middle between 0 and 10. The number starts with 1, rises to 5, and then comes back to 1. This pattern makes the number relatively easy to remember.
If you want to create a Chinese meaning for the numeric domain, there are many choices. In the list below, I have come up with brands that rhyme with the number 151.
Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Application |
---|---|---|---|
医我医 | Yi Wo Yi | Give me medical treatment | Medical services |
衣物衣 | Yi Wu Yi | Clothing | Fashion |
易玩易 | Yi Wan Yi | Easy to play | Games |
摇舞摇 | Yao Wu Yao | Rock and dance | Dance school |
依我依 | Yi Wo Yi | Rely on me | Consulting |
Richard Morris says
Kassey…you may be right, but I thought of a different use for it so much so I registered a dozen domains like; Yum151.com and Canna151.com
“151 Rum” is/was the brand name for rum that had an alcohol content of 151%
Check out the website for 151Coffee.com….it appears to me they could have bought it as well. It was also the symmetry of “151” that attracted me to it☺
ps. thanks for connecting with me on Linkedin.
Kassey Lee says
You are welcome, Richard. I believe that as demand for domains continues, people get more and more creative in creating domains.
Perfectname.com Sales says
I used to own 520.com and traded it for a 3 letter .com and a couple of other names because at the time it had a huge amount of Chinese traffic but they had no credit cards. I was told by people in the know in China that is was worth at least $2M. From the Internet: 520, when pronounced in Chinese (wǔ’èrlíng), sounds similar to the homophonic phrase ‘I love you’, or wǒ ài nǐ. Therefore, the number 520, 五二零, represents 我爱你. May 20th, written with numbers as 5.20, is an extremely meaningful day when people across China celebrate love and express their love!
Kassey Lee says
While 3N domains are acceptable in China, 3L domains are popular across the world, imho.