Updated May 6, 2026 · ~6 min read · Honest comparison, not a takedown
The 30-second answer. Nameboy is one of the oldest domain name generators on the web — it has been brainstorming domain ideas since 1999 and works as a thin layer over registrar APIs to surface available .coms quickly. TinyTools' domain name generator is a single browser page that mixes keywords, prefixes, suffixes, and modern TLDs, then lets you copy or check availability without an affiliate funnel pushing a specific host. If you want a battle-tested generator that immediately routes you toward buying through a registrar partner, Nameboy is fine. If you want a generator that stays out of your way and supports newer TLDs alongside .com, TinyTools is the closer fit.
What each one actually is
Nameboy launched in 1999 and is now part of the Awesome Motive family (WPBeginner, OptinMonster, MonsterInsights). It generates domain ideas from one or two seed keywords, primarily focusing on .com results, and links available domains through to Bluehost or other partnered registrars to complete the purchase. The product is free to use; the business model is affiliate revenue from domain registrations and hosting bundles. Nameboy's strength is decades of brand familiarity and a consistent, simple input box that has barely changed in 25 years.
TinyTools is a free collection of focused browser tools. The domain generator takes a keyword or two, applies common naming patterns (prefixes like "get", suffixes like "ly", "hq", "ai", "io"), generates pronounceable invented names, and returns a long list of candidates. There's no signup, no affiliate gate, and no preselected registrar. You copy the names you like and check them wherever you want.
Side-by-side feature comparison
Feature
TinyTools
Nameboy
Price (core features)
Free, forever
Free
Account / signup required
No
No
Keyword-based suggestions
Yes
Yes (the original)
Mash-up / two-keyword combinations
Yes
Yes
Invented / pronounceable names
Yes
Limited
Modern TLDs (.ai, .io, .dev, .app)
Yes
Mostly .com-first
Live availability check
Yes (in-page)
Yes (via registrar partner)
Tied to a specific registrar
No, register anywhere
Push toward Bluehost / partners
Affiliate links / sponsored upsell
None
Yes, that's the business model
Save / favorite suggestions
Copy out only
No persistent saves
AI-style brand naming (vibe / tone)
Pattern-based, not LLM
No
Filtering by length / TLD
Yes
Basic
Speed / page weight
Static page, very small
Heavy WordPress site
Ads on free tier
None
Yes (affiliate placements)
API access
No
No
Pricing comparison
Both tools are free at the surface. The real cost question is what happens after you pick a name.
Plan
TinyTools
Nameboy
Generator usage
Free, no caps, no ads
Free, ad-supported
Domain registration
Bring your own registrar — Cloudflare, Porkbun, Namecheap, etc.
Routes through partner registrars where Nameboy earns affiliate commissions
Hosting upsell
None
Bluehost / hosting bundles surfaced after picking a name
Pro / paid tier
n/a
n/a (no paid plan)
Nameboy itself is free; the financial relationship is between you and the registrar Nameboy refers you to.
When Nameboy is the better choice
Nameboy has nearly a quarter-century of head start and a clear use case. Pick Nameboy when:
You want the canonical brainstorming experience. Nameboy invented this category. The two-keyword input, the mash-up logic, the long-list output — most modern generators are descendants. If you've used it before and like the rhythm, sticking with what you know is fine.
You're already buying through Bluehost or a partner. If your plan is to buy hosting and a domain together through Bluehost, Nameboy's referral funnel saves you a click and the affiliate kickback funds the free tool. That's a fair trade.
You want a .com-first list. Nameboy is calibrated for classic .com naming. If your project will only feel real with a .com, the result set leans hard in that direction by default.
You trust the WPBeginner ecosystem. Nameboy is part of Awesome Motive, the same company behind WPBeginner, OptinMonster, and MonsterInsights. If you're a WordPress builder already inside that orbit, the editorial recommendations and the tool feel coherent.
When TinyTools is the better choice
The honest case for TinyTools is real but specific:
You want a clean tool, not a funnel. Open tinytools-smoky.vercel.app/domain-generator/, type a keyword, get a list, leave. There's no "register this with our partner" screen, no auto-cart, no upsell to a hosting bundle.
You'd rather buy through Cloudflare, Porkbun, or Namecheap. These registrars are usually cheaper, have better DNS UIs, and don't aggressively renew at 3x the first-year price. TinyTools doesn't push you anywhere — you pick the registrar.
You're considering modern TLDs. If your idea fits a .ai, .io, .dev, .app, .so, or .xyz, TinyTools weights those normally. Nameboy's defaults still feel optimized for the .com era.
Page weight matters. The TinyTools generator is a static page that loads in under a second. Nameboy is a full WordPress site with header, footer, ad slots, and tracking; it works, but it's an order of magnitude heavier.
You also need design assets after the name. Once you've picked a name you'll need a favicon, an OG image, and probably a color palette. TinyTools has all three a click away — the favicon generator, the OG image generator, and the color palette tool. Nameboy hands you off to a registrar and the rest is on you.
You don't want any ads. Nameboy's free tier is funded by affiliate placements — not invasive, but visible. TinyTools has no ads because there's no business model that requires them.
Three concrete use cases
1. Indie developer launching a side project this weekend
You need a name, a domain, a favicon, and an OG image by Sunday night. Recommendation: TinyTools end-to-end. Generate names, then pivot straight into the favicon and OG generators in the same site. Buy the domain at Cloudflare or Porkbun where renewals don't sting.
2. WordPress consultant setting up a client's first site
The client has no preferences and you're already provisioning their hosting through Bluehost. Recommendation: Nameboy. The affiliate flow is going to happen anyway, and using the tool that funds itself off the same partnership is consistent.
3. Founder naming a SaaS that wants .ai or .io
You're choosing between a few invented brandable names with modern TLDs. Recommendation: TinyTools, plus a backup pass with a registrar's bulk-search. Nameboy's defaults aren't tuned for this — its strength is .com mash-ups, not vibey two-syllable .ai names.
Switching costs and lock-in
Neither tool has lock-in. Both are stateless generators. The only switching cost is mental: if you've used Nameboy for a decade, the rhythm of typing two keywords and scrolling a flat list will feel natural, and TinyTools' filtered grid will feel different. Most people who try both end up keeping Nameboy bookmarked for nostalgic .com brainstorms and TinyTools for everything else, especially when they need design assets immediately after.
Verdict
Nameboy and TinyTools are both honest about what they are. Nameboy is a 25-year-old keyword combiner monetized through registrar referrals — it works, it's familiar, and the affiliate funnel is the price of free. TinyTools is a single-page generator with no commercial relationship to any registrar, designed to plug into the rest of a launch toolkit (favicon, OG image, palette) on the same domain.
If you're loyal to .com, building on WordPress through Bluehost, and don't mind the affiliate path, Nameboy still does the job it has always done. If you want a quieter generator that supports modern TLDs, lets you register anywhere, and connects directly to the other tools you'll need for launch day, that's where TinyTools fits.