Domain names with a tainted past

Is there a way to easily discover this?

[misosoph]

I found a domain name that has not been registered -- because it was used to spider a sub-directory of my site last month. The name is still available this month.

(The name was the IP domain name -- no IP number, no tracert possible either -- not the UA; there was no UA.)

I like the name -- it would be easy for visitors to remember. The name is very innocent sounding, nothing "lewd and suggestive" about it.

But if someone has used it to anonymously spider my site ... is this name "safe"? The double quotes mean that I don't know what I'm asking. I feel wary about the name, that's all. Thoughts?

[Lisa]

If you like the name and it is available then go register it. Pretty simple.

Don't worry about what people will think. If you don't mind a little confusion and people contacting you because of the old site then you are fine.

At my site you can see if the domain has ever been registered at any point in history. If the result doesn't show up then it has never been registered.

[misosoph]

Thank you. I tried the search, and received the answer "We found no domains that match your input", from which I believe follows that the name has never been registered (at least using the TLDs covered by the search).

Now I am really perplexed. The name is good: it sticks in the mind. And someone used it. Could it have been a randomly generated name, if there is a program to generate domain names to be used by robots once and then discarded?

Can a domain name that has never been registered get onto a list of sites filtered out as objectionable by censorship software?

[Lisa]

People can set the reverse DNS to anything. I would assume they just made up the name because they didn't want people tracking them or getting hold of them. You will have to weight the people that want to get a hold of them with your love for the name. Because people will have questions for you, but you could put up a FAQ page saying you know nothing about it. Either way, I don't think you will have lots of questions. If you like the name just register it and don't give it another thought. You will just have to wait and see what happens after you own the name.

[misosoph]

It's a strange Webmaster world to me. Thank you. I'll register the name.

[richlowe]

The biggest problem I've discovered purchasing old domains is receiving the old email (esp spam) that was going to the domain. When you buy a domain that's "used" you inherit this as well.

Richard Lowe

[buckworks]

The flip side of Richard Lowe's comment is that if you have a domain that you allow to expire, the new owner (if there is one) will not only inherit your spam, they might receive sensitive information as well. This can happen if you used an email address on that domain for something important but forgot to update your contact information. Be sure to update contact info wherever it's appropriate.

[martinibuster]

You can also try the "Wayback Machine" to see if the name has truly never been registered.

;)

[misosoph]

It's not in the Wayback Machine <web.archive.org/web/> either. Very strange.

If I send e-mail to a non-registered domain, the mail should bounce. It should not circle the Internet waiting to some day be delivered. Correct?