Stick to RickLatona.com !

Nothing better now, not in the future. Look at Marriott, Hilton, Duden, Flick, and so on .

No better Brand is possible.

I'll be honest. Cyberspace is an amazing domain name.

But it is not an appropriate name for a "modern" business. It definitely sounds like a buzzword from the 90s, and it is a little outdated.

There is always branding, but you can probably do better than Cyberspace.

I would look at the Urban Dictionary of "cyber" before investing a lot of time and energy in that name....

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cyber

That term is played out. I wouldn't do it.

Re-branding as "Cyberspace" in my opinion is a good choice for all the reasons that you mention.

Re-branding for no other reason then to separate your name from the business wold be worth it. When it comes time for you to retire and sell the business to another it will be a much smoother transaction if your name is not so prominently associated with it.

And lets be honest, we like business names that invoke an idea and we don't like names that are simply the name of the owner. It is easier to brand "Burger King" then it is to brand "Kramer's Burgers"... well, I don't think that argument works because McDonalds and Carl's Jr. are both extensions of the original owners names... Oh well, I still say branding an idea is better than branding a name.=)

Whatever you do, good luck.

I think it will lend itself to a broader revenue/lead gen/addollars/partnership umbrella. It might be a wise move..one you obviously have to think about and make the decision for yourself.

There is a synergy to that which you clearly understand as well as the nuances of the pros and cons.

I don't know what's wrong with your brand now? CyberSpace.com sounds cool but... I don't know. People now know what RickLatona.com, AEIOU.com mean. I wouldn't change it!

Go For it, Rick!

This is a TERRIFIC name!! I am pretty sure you can brand it well.

Good luck with it.

On second thought there is a certain company getting their lunch eaten by another social network who has space in their name and it is now sononymous with old technology...

You have the right instinct to pick an umbrella name to help a suite of services and revenue streams build...just like how those other dudes bought Advertise.com..

so, your instincts are right to take your huge business to the next level even..

just have to make sure you pick the right name

I would try and come up with some controversial, you know similar to why Richard Branson named his company "Virgin"

I prefer OnlineMLS.com. You can be to domains what MLS is to real estate.

Rick I think u have spent a ton of money and time branding ricklatona. Everyone knows "Rick Latona". I would stick with that

You got to remember the average Joe is 10 years behind any domainer's mind.CyberSpace is a great name and you could sell a bald man a comb Rick go for it.When you go global sometimes you have to dumb it down for the masses.Cheers.K

Since you are considering throw everything in one pot to build a bigger brand, my opinion is that CyberSpace.com would be an awesome name encompassing everything for domain or web development etc. It is a familiar term that would be easier to use in sales than aeiou.com don’t get me wrong aeiou.com is great I just think it would be better suited for a web site for children or people learning to read.

Cyberspace.com is really bad all around. Not because it's generic, but because it's so dated, and it will be more dated in the future. Might as well call it InformationSuperhighway.com.

But RickLatona.com is also bad, particularly as you are start marketing to non-domainers. They don't know who Rick Latona is, and you are asking people to remember FirstNameLastName. I think FirstNameLastName is a poor choice for a company as it's getting bigger. Rick.com or Latona.com would be a good choice. If you want a generic name, you need to buy something like domains.com or web.com.

AEIOU.com is just terrible. I have seen the URL hundreds of times; I have no idea what it means, I would not even dream about trying to remember it.

Tough decision. I personally think that it would work well. Keep your auction under the RickLatona.com name though, your first+last name has become highly recognized in the domain auction space. The other brands will meld in nicely with CyberSpace.com. I don't think the term is too outdated and with your marketing capabilities I can see CyberSpace.com becoming a common term for domainers, kind of like 'Domaining.com' is. Good luck with your decision and outcome Rick!

I say put CyberSpace.com to work, what a name.

I agree with the need for a change, Rick Latona does not mean a thing outside of a select circle.

Don't like the new suggestion prefer names that actually suggest what the business is -

domainnameseller.com

Ian

I am not crazy about it - I think it sounds too generic - and kinda uncool.

Outside of our industry, I think branding as "Rick Latona" (.com/auctions/whatever) isn't a good idea. I'm not sure if Cyberspace.com is the best name, but I do think you'd do yourself a favor to put it under one brand, and preferably not your name.

I think it sounds too dated. If I was hearing about the company the first time, I would get the impression that it was a company formed about twenty years ago when the term was cool, and it just clunked along for twenty years and never really "made it".

I like the idea of a single name- just not this one.

Rick Latona, as a brand, sounds upscale and professional. Cyberspace, as a brand, sounds a bit cheesy and mass marketing material. In my mind, the name is vague and forgettable. You can mostly overcome that with a massive marketing campaign, but why volunteer for that expense?

I would stick with RickLatona.com, or Latona.com if you have it. Cyberspace.com is too general and to me speaks of internet content, not domains. The only problem though with using your name is if you ever sell the business the name sticks with it, even though you aren't there anymore. But, having your name on it right now gives people who know of you a level of trust. If you don't use your own name, I would go with another one word domain, or something with 'Name' or 'DN' in front of it. Like 'NameStar.com' or 'NameSales.com'.

Cyberspace is a very cool name, but it 's not a brand. Your personal name is. If you switch to cyberspace.com, you will need some marketing effort but I am sure that will not be a problem.

IMO CyberSpace seems too generic of a term to create a strong brand awareness with. A strong and memorable brand stands out on its own, such as RickLatona.com. You've worked hard to position and defend your current brand regardless of commentary. You stand behind your brand and your name has become a guarantee of sorts... If you must rebrand I would consider a more creative and out-of-the-box approach that does not necessarily refer to the internet or cyberspace - such as the example of Virgin, mentioned by Robbie above. It has to be memorable and very unique in order to stick in people's minds.

(eg: Google, Yahoo, Nike, Virgin)

An idea: Why not create an online contest and put out a list of one to two word generics or brandable names your company owns... let the audience rate and select your options and pick 3 finalists based on audience votes... then you would have three strong ideas you work internally with to select a possible new brand.

That is one hell of a cool domain,

Cyberspace

What a name for a company like yours, i think the opportunity is to good to pass on IMHO!

I'd certainly be happy to work with a proffesional business/company even though they have a name like that.

Because the name is so well know, and would go for an astonishing amount of money, they will realize they are working with proffesionals and not some script kiddie.

"I think it sounds too dated. If I was hearing about the company the first time, I would get the impression that it was a company formed about twenty years ago when the term was cool, and it just clunked along for twenty years and never really “made it”.

I like the idea of a single name- just not this one."

Michael said this above - and I agree with every word. Well put!

(You surely own, or can acquire with your resources, an ultra-premium .com that provides both a more modern feel and a better notion of what sort of business you're in. "Cyberspace" is dated and unfocused.)

Also, i'd shift aeiou to cyberspace, like you said and eventually shift over digiloan / digipawn as those names dont really sound right to me. keep ricklatona.com as strictly your blog.

My sixth sense says: stick to RickLatona.com

Regards,

Jan Huts

Rick Latona is synonomous with the domain industry. It already has great brand value and, in my opinion, is associated with high quality. Cyberspace, on the other hand, is a generic term that has been heard a zillion times for years. People have already formed perceptions (negative and positive) on the term. Why not just stick with your established brand and build on it? While you may be the face of the company now, If done properly, the "Rick Latona" brand should outlive you (i.e. Ford, Disney, Warner Bros, Mrs. Fields, Hershey, Wrigley, Levi Strauss ... and the list goes on).

I've no wish to blow smoke, but RickLatona kinda works on a name-to-trust level but if the main reasoning is to detatch the business from the name then you have already made the decision. For anything new best keep it short, its easier on mobile browsers - maybe a LL. That said, AEIOU is memorable, its short, its already in the stable, associated with the brand and so easier to transition - CyberSpace is good but maybe better for a different 'social network' type model...

Definitely would say cyberspace.com is a much better option. The reason is that:

1. Cyberspace is easier to remember
2. More brandable and harder to misspell
3. Sounds more like a real/ professional company than a name based on your name

In my opinion cyberspace.com is significantly better than your current name, and I don't think you should change unless it is significantly better (because if it's only slightly better then you need to overcome the negative effects of changing a brand name).

You'd be losing all that marketing that went into the Rick Latona name, but in the long run, I think consolidating services and shifting them away from your name would be a good idea. I don't think cyberspace.com would be the best option though.

Cyberspace.com??

I had to check the date on the calendar to make sure it wasn't April Fool's! lol

Very dated term that nobody uses anymore. I doubt you'd want to associate your business with that.

My gut instinct is that it's definitely an outdated term...still a good domain, though.

Already told you, Rick Latona its much better

ricklatona is a well known name but only inside the domaining community.
however... cyberspace could quickly become a worldwide brand inside and out.
the only reason i would consider not using it would be that it could be sold for alot of money... but in the end your business could be worth a whole lot more so i vote twice for cyberspace.com

You have a large domain portfolio and you think Cyberspace.com is the best name you have in stock? It's terrible.

Maybe buy a good domain (like names.com or similar) rather than digging old domains out the stockroom, you should have the budget to get a killer name.

Hey Rick, before reading any of the responses my exact thoughts where it's a great url but not a kick ass brand name. One guy mentioned your name had an up-market feel and I tend to agree. The full name Rick Latona doesn't seem like a good fit for this type of business. I would have said the same thing about the David Jones department store and I would have been wrong. Top of the head suggestion maybe shorten the name to lotana.com Good luck with it. Troy*

I can understand wanting to create an umbrella brand to encompass the broader direction you would like to take with your company. Certainly your name has become a unique, identifiable mark within the domain industry, but, as you have recognized, has limited appeal or marketability outside that specific market. You are the master of recognizing great domains and how they might play to the market and I would propose you need to do the same here. If you assume this new name would be the "identity" for your company for the next 20 years, it has to be able to hold up under the test of time and resonate to what you believe you want to achieve with it. In my opinion, CyberSpace is very outdated and speaks to your new customers and clients like a novel concept from a gimmicky company. It's too close to OuterSpace and starts people down a different thought direction than I believe you are trying to institute with your new and future endeavors. I would recommend going back to the drawing board and pull from your vast domain arsenal for a more unique, durable name to place as the flag of your ship. Hope this helps!

I wanted to add, if you can buy RL.com, then Rick Latona + RL.com would make a very nice long-term brand. Without RL.com, Rick Latona is too weak of a brand.
Like I said above, Rick.com or Latona.com would make great choices, or any very common and short first name or last name .com. Or a nice-sounding, short, and common word like Mint.com. But not just pronounceable LLLL.com; that's too weak.

Decision to rebrand - perfect. As you push out more and more to industry people (end users) who have no idea about domaining something other than your name is the way to go.

A strong brand will reinforce that customers/leads are dealing with a company and not an individual.

Also should you wish to sell out in future or for some reason you can't operate the company, the company's value isn't tied into your presense.

Cyberspace.com - the wrong way to go.

i) It's very "generic", needing a lot of push to make it a brand
ii) "cyber" is old school term, it doesn't convey "we're modern"
iii) The other big "space" MySpace is rapidly decending, in future it'll have an even worse image than it does now. You don't want to have any mental association with that when people see your name.
iv) It sounds a bit cheesy

Commenter Sergio Igartua had a good idea in having a competition. Perhaps set the top prize as $50K-$100K to the winning name and the entrant has to assign rights to the name should they win. I gaurantee there's domainers in the industry with killer names that would be worth more to you as a brand then what they can sell them for to end users. You would want the final say on the name instead of public vote, you wouldn't want someone rigging it. The vote could be used as a supporting factor though.

Consolidate all your businesses under RickLatona.com. You have built tremendous brand recognition in the industry and would effectively be starting from scratch with, what I believe, is a sub-par name.

It's all about brand.

Consider a new name, but not cyberspace. It is a really dated name that will only get more dated.

Just the thought of getting your newsletter from cyberspace.com instead of "ricklatona.com" makes me cringe.

Where did you buy your domain name? Cyberspace.com

Where did you buy your domain name? Rick Latona

I like the idea of a new name, but not cyberspace. Get a good 4 letter highly brandable and run like hell.

Whatever you name the business, dump this black background. Look to Sotheby's and others in that league for clues of how to represent million dollar investments. You have the funds, so you might even engage Landor or a real branding agency to help you.

You built a name of trust by putting your personal name on the line...Rick Latona

Cyber Slut? Remeber that term? Nobody uses it today. At the time, 96-99, some chicks thought it was cool to say "I'm a Cyber Slut!".

Cyber-anything is SO outdated......and I'm an old guy......LOL.

Cyberspace.com is a GREAT name and brand, go for it.

Sometimes branding one's own name is not a long term strategy, what happens when you die? Of course I may be wrong lol.

Rick Latona sounds classic, expensive, and first class, but only a small group of people would recognize you and your business.

Cyberspace sounds geeky and old school, but everyone in the world would know who you are.

Follow your instinct, Rick.

I think Cyberspace would have to be aggressively promoted to define your niche to newer entrants to domaining. On the other hand, it could be viewed by many as an "uber-generic", or multi-category killer, representing ALL that is the Internet. I can personally relate to that.

Cyberspace is a great domain, but as others have said, the name sounds outdated.

Cyberspace is outdated and lame. Hire a branding agency. Decide on the best name and acquire it, and don't just search your portfolio. You've got the resources. If you have the best name in your portfolio, great, you lucked out. Get bold and leave .com out of it. Stay away from generics and build a brand. You can't scale without a having a brand that has room to scale, or else you will find yourself in a painful and costly renaming situation again down the road.

Rick:

I can understand your need to change the name of your company: distance your personal name from the actual business, build an umbrella name for all your business activities, etc.

All of them are fine and if you decide that is the right way, go ahead go ahead BUT, I'd never use CyberSpace as the name of a company today.

Why?

Well, the term CyberSpace has been around for long time, it is definitely NOT associated with you or your companies as an original term of yours. Just look on Wikipedia for the term and you will see.

CyberSpace is used and mis-used all the time and associated with lots of different things (good ones and "bad" ones), think: Cybercrime in the CyberSpace, Cybersex, where? in Cyberspace... not necessarily concepts you want your company to be associated with.

As it has been mentioned in some posts, the term sounds like an "old cliche", not really like a company name.

It even sounds confusing: "where do you buy your domain names?; In Cyberspace !... Yes, of course in Cyberspace, but where?" a nice pun maybe ... but, not a professional sounding name for a company.

For sure, not a name for a vanguardist, futurist, innovative enterprise.

The domain name may be cool, sure it is a good name but, for the reasons exposed (and there may be more) I would NOT use CyberSpace for your company name.

My 2 cents.

Felipe.

I know it wasn't a choice but I'd say neither. I agree Rick Latona should be substituted with an umbrella company name but CyberSpace.com is not it.

cyber space is a metaphor for internet estate, go for it!

it has no other use, William Gibsons's geometrical internet won't be here soon and it won't be hosted on any DNS.

The fact that you have doubts about the domain/business name, says enough. Whatever my opinion is, it seems your brain has already decided: no. I assume other names are better, and have more edge without being corny.

Gold is Gold, Diamond is Diamond & Sand is Sand.
RickLatona is Diamond
CyberSpace is outdated and can't match the expectation of visitors/followers of Rick Latona - The king of domains.

Cheers!
Danish K.

I'm a big proponent of generics (it's what we own), but CyberSpace.com is so generic (and dated) that it would almost work better as a tongue-in-cheek brand for something that had absolutely nothing to do with cyberspace (like Apple.com and computers). Don't get me wrong, it's a killer name, but I'd stick with RickLatona.com or even better, Latona.com (though I am kind of partial here because it's Italian like... Castello

Cyberspace.com is a great name, but it is definitely dated. I'd stick with Rick Latona, b/c that name has become it's own brand. And I agree with David Castello, up there, Latona - solo - has some branding power behind it, and it actually sounds pretty cool. La - TONE - ahh ... can't you hear a movie announcer saying that? Now do it like that, and when you hear "Cyberspace" ... you can't help but laugh. I'll forward an audio file later ... you'll get a kick out of it.

I sign up for your newsletter for one reason only.

It said RICKLATONA.COM!

you have already branded yourself

I agree with what FreeDomainNewsletter and Chef Patrick said. Rick Latona should be changed, but CyberSpace.com might not be the best name.

I think that Cyberspace.com is not the best name for you. I think you should have something related to domain, like domain.com, domainlogist.com?

I think we all just jumped into the delorean!! I agree with rebranding but, anyone who is in the business knows RickLatona.com. Does not matter if someone outside does not know you for domains because they will never use your services anyway but, if you continue to brand it correclty, your name that is, everyone will know who and what you are.....Trump ring a bell?!?!!

Rick,

Say what????

"Hi I'm Rick Latona, CEO of CyberSpace."

LOL, heck no bro!

CyberSpace.com is absolutely positively not a good name for you to re-brand with.

Too dated sounding. Too generic. Too non-related to what you do. No power to it.

NEXT that choice with a swift kick to the circular file!

Kevin

Cyberspace.com is a great domain name, but I agree that the terms belong to the nineties. I definitely think you should keep the company name branded around your own name. - What about "Latona Group"?

Good luck deciding!

Best regards,

Stian

Rick:

Do not change the name. If it works, do not mess with it.

I like cyberspace.com, but ricklatona.com is better for what I think you want for your company.

Google this: define:cyberspace.com .........

Cyberspace.com is a great domain, but not for anything related to domains, it is a VERY Broad term, it will be confusing. Trust me.

Find other use for Cyberspace.com you are brilliant and have many brilliant people around you. Be patient listen and decide calmly.

Best of luck to you!

I think cyberspace works very well. You are trying to target outside the domain space for sales and development. Go with a generic name, who the hell outside 200 domainers know who Ricl Latona is. Some people might be turned off from a company named first and last name.

Go with Cyberspace......sounds professional, established, and comes with credibility

Ricklatona.com......Ricklatonaauctions.com?

Go BIG......cyberspace.com

I think you know the answer or else you would have changed the name already

I think RL is a big brand in the domain space, but you obviously want to expand out of the space and you're concerned that people don't know you. I told you my thoughts on Cyberspace.com so I will refrain from doing it here again.

Look at some of the top real estate firms in the US: Corcoran, Cushman Wakefield, CB Richard Ellis, Keller Williams, Weichert, Coldwell Banker...etc. They were all built using the name/reputation of their founders and those brands are some of the most trusted in the business. Sure, real estate acquisitions can be a much more personal experience, but trust is key in this business, too.

If you think RickLatona.com is holding you back, get your guys to brainstorm the 10 best names for your brand and acquire the domain name at a justifiable cost. If the cost is more than the brand is worth to your company, then you should stick with what you've got.

Rick, it's important to think about the target market you zoom in. If you're going after advertisers from the corporate world, maybe they will find CyberSpace.com more impressive? Maybe the brand appeal more to the older generation than young executives?

If you decide on CyberSpace.com, make the image, logo, etc. 'modern' to match yourself and your audience. All the best!

Alexander

Cyberspace sounds like Home Depot: Lowest common denominator. The best art galleries carry the names of the founders, even if those founders are no longer active: Leo Castelli, Sonnabend, Robert Miller etc. Rick Latona already has priceless branding as a respected name broker. So, unless you've done something bad or severely embarrassing that will appear on the front page of the Daily News, you should build on what is already a positive force. Pass on "Cyberspace."

Some brainstorming for you Rick. TheDomainz, SupremiumDomains - Somewhat more contemporary but as I alluded to before, cyberspace can rule in virtual real estate.

I'm a fan of Cyberspace.com.

I don't view it as being an outdated term so much a term that could be redefined and modernized by your use of it, and your marketing around what "Cyberspace" would now mean.

Cyberspace == the solution that your domains sales, content creation and monetization products amount to as a whole package

I also echo the sentiments regarding the FirstnameLastname.com that you're operating under. Despite the size to which the business will grow, it'll always seem like a customer to sole-proprietor relationship. Take a look at Bob Parsons, I would've expected him to simply call his business BobParsons.com in retrospect, but he's done a great job of reserving his own brand for commentary around the business that he's built, rather than the brand of the business itself.

Mike Jarema / Majestic Media Ltd.

People trust a brand name over a generic name. I would put cyberspace.com to work, but stick with Rick Latona or Latona (keyword) as a brand.

When I think of the term "cyberspace" I get the feeling of an old science fiction show or movie; Lost in Space, InnerSpace, 2001 a Space Odyssey etc. Personally, I think your business and marketing is strong enough to create a completely, new branded identity and domain.

I am going on the assumption that you intend to build a global brand and your business is striving to bridge the gap between the domain industry and mainstream consumers and end users. I don't think it necessitates having a domain related to the internet. I would think in terms of brandable like "Xerox" for copiers, "Vonage" for communication services, "Google" for seach etc.

If you definitely want to use a keyword domain brand, making it completely unrelated to the business would work well. Oracle, Apple, Amazon, Virgin and even Fabulous all are recognizable and work well for those companies despite the names having nothing to do with the underlying business. It seems you attempted this already with AEIOU.com, but apparently some have not memorized their vowels and it causes confusion.

Cyberspace.com is a great keyword domain for sure, but save it for another development project. I don't think it is "open" or "big" enough to encompass a brand that I am certain you will want to expand online and offline in the future; Virgin Airlines? Yes. Cyberspace Airlines? Umm no.

I should think the word DOMAIN something would be good. A favorite Domain address I own is DomainLair.com. If you or anyone else is interested let me know.

The people who are telling you not to rebrand are afraid of change. Using a top notch, generic .com to brand a domain / development company like yours makes sense on so many levels. The term is relevant to what you do, it's short, its memorable, and it makes the statement that your company acquires and develops some of the best domain names on the planet.

I love the new name on all counts, go for it!

I've been following your progress for quite sometime. Why change the company's name hence the "Rick Latona" is more credible and popular in the web industry.

Just think of yourself as a Hollywood celebrity whose name would be like a household brand in the future. For me your given name is easier to remember and also signifies originality.

Love to see you someday.

Don't like it. Outdated, rarely used. I hear it and it makes me think of 'old'. You got better bud )

I've never seen so many opinions and comments on here before.

You guys are domainaholics!

hmmm...

domainaholics.com

The term Cyberspace was coined by William Gibson and made popular in his famous Cyberpunk novel from 1984 'Neuromancer'.

The term has become a classic and has lost whatever connotation it originally had back 30 years ago, and only survives in the world of Academia as an historical reference.

Cyberspace as a word is a sitting duck, waiting to be owned, and at the same time it's offering you the possibility for re-semantization, since it has lost it's original meaning for almost everyone.

I think the term has a lot of possibilities in term of Branding, Marketing and Graphic Design with a Retro type of Aesthetics.

Here is a well known quote from the novel:

"The past is past, the future unformed. There is only the moment, and that is where he prefers to be."

Go for it Rick.

*

CyberSpace is a great name, but for someone else or another project aimed toward the more casual internet user, not domainers. For what you're selling, the term seems too broad, and you'll end getting irrelevant traffic that will likely not return to your site.

It would be like an eye doctor trying to find patients by using FamilyPractice [.] com. Yes, family practice involves doctors as well, and an eye doctor may even want to tout his business as a family kind of practice. However, actual users are looking for a specific kind of doctor's office, one that specializes in general medicine and would help prospective patients to find a doc that will help cure sore throats, manage flu, give shots, refer to specialists, etc.

Why not put CyberSpace to work in the best possible way by either selling it, or brainstorm ways of creating a subsidiary that would fit the name perfectly?

*

You seem to have done an incredible job branding your site judging by the comments above. But I feel either just your last name dot com or cyberspace dot com may be more effective when acquiring new customers, You can't build your brand if you don't get their attention,...

why not bulid two pages and test both domains in the ppc market and see which one has the higher click thru rate for the keywords targeting your business/industry. I will bet you a 100 piece bucket of chicken the cyberspace ctr will be significantly higher.

Nutshell : Cyberspace parent company, aeiou etc. partners, and RickLatona as a top industry resource newsletter icon/logo link on all partner properties including cyberspace.

p.s CyberSpace is synonymous with the internet, some say too generic, some say old fashioned, I say The internet never lived up to my expectations of what cyberspace means, then again the internet was in its infancy, when cyberspace was the buzz the internet wasn't even capable of streaming video, how kool can an animated gif be, Domain names are the foundations of the internet umm i mean Cyberspace, Oh my head hurts now, I hate migraines.net it makes my rectum.net hurt soo much it affect my hearingandvision.com Shameless marketing I know you can delete that part .

Tarek

What about buying domaining.com or swapping cyberspace.com with him and use this domain as the umbrella company for your services and products?

No, think ricklatona.com is a brand now and has built up trust in it and people know of it.

Need to continue to provide great products and services at a good price and a by-product of this is free promotion by the way of word of mouth. very powerful tool.

Results speak for themselves.

1. Need to separate as much as possible the liabilities from your personal assets. By having the word "Rick Latona" in your company name connects that liability link a little, so I would change it for that reason alone. Example: They will say, "I got my domain from Rick Latona." not "I got my domain from Rick Latona Auctions, LLC".
2. Rick Latona (to an outsider) as part of the name connotates an individual or small company (as domainers we know you, but this is from an outsider's perspective). You are still part of the company, but most interactions now with individuals are no longer with Rick Latona directly, so it is time to move to a separate brand. Latona.com might work, however.
3. You have to think exit strategy. 5 to 10 years from now, a major company may want to purchase the company or a majority ownership in the company. You don't want that company using your name; what if they didn't hold the same standards you hold, etc.
3. Cyberspace sounds behind the times instead of ahead of the times. It's a great domain, but not for your biz. You can do much better than this.
4. When you convert to your new name, you can start with Rick Latona's XXXXXX to cross brand it and then drop Rick Latona part after it is well known.

cyberspace.com is a great name,
but I recommend you buy agreatname.com,
because I am the owner and willing to sell it.
The price of agreatname.com is just USD600.

That name has 1995 written all over it. Please don't.

No way Rick.

That name is seriously lame and very yesterday. Sorry, but that's my honest opinion.

CyberSpace.com is great, but not to replace RickLatona.com.
You already built up the name and it could be really bad for business to take that risk.
However, you could definitely do something good with cyberspace.com (but you already know that)

All the best!

You should only switch to cyberspace if you think that your own name isn't good enough.

Rick Latona is who you are.

It's not just your name, it's your legacy.

Don't forget that.

Haven't read the other responses, so my apologise if these points have already been made.

You talk of building a brand, which suggests that you will be looking for an exit in the future. This means you have got to move away from using your name (ricklatona.com) and create an image around something less personal; cyberspace.com works for me as it is non-specific, which is perfect as you have various services offered.

If you carry on using your name as your brand, once you've sold out in the future, your hands will be tied; RickLatona.com won't be able to go into any other ventures - Rick Latona could, but not RickLatona.com

First off, I hate cyberspace.com -- it's an outdated term. Honestly, I would feel a tinge of shame typing it into the address bar. It's one of those domains that should be great, but is a total loser.

Lots of people are saying "killer domain, but not right for you." I would challenge that it's not a killer domain. To me, it's a name with exceedingly minimal potential. If it's not good for this, what would it be good for?

I think you should focus more on what your brand helps people accomplish (unless you can get a category-defining generic, like domains.com). I think "Alchemy" (the fabled process of transmuting a common, low-value substance into a substance of greater value) would be great, except that it's probably over the head of an average person. "Monetize" would be a great brand.

You see, you're not really selling domains, or websites. You're selling earnings. You're selling a wealth-producing asset. A "money tree," if you will. If possible, you're brand should drive to that point (while still being memorable).

If you can't get a name that defines the category or sells your benefit, you might as well stick with RickLatona.com (or acquire Latona.com, if possible).

[...] bit surprised to learn of my excitement in seeing that domain broker / auctioneer / mass-developer Rick Latona was considering creating a new umbrella brand for his suite of companies.  Greater still, Rick was soliciting the feedback of his blog’s readers regarding a [...]

Hi Rick,
Cyberspace... Is the Information Highway, Also known as the internet. I think this domain fits your business nicely. Go 4 it!!!!

Good luck!!!
Derek

what else ya got in your list? Cyberspace.com is cheesed out.

I think if you had done all the marketing a year ago it would have been a good start , so you are going to lose ground , but as we head towards the spaceage it will only grow because of the 'space' factor , i think generic is fine for this industry and i can only wish you well , One of my favorite names i have is hovercarhire ...... it always gets attention , more than if i was to use my name as a brand.

P.s.

VH1 Has a show called
I Hate My 30s: , they named an episode:

I Hate My 30s: Between a Rock & a Cyberspace

Sounds a bit outdated. Not a good choice IMO.

Cyberspace is a great domain name for that use. Doesn't sound "played out" - besides, is that to suggest that businesses should find "fresh" or trendy names every decade?

I'd say go ahead.

Rick,

It's always good for companies to be thinking about what their next big move is going to be, but this one isn't a good idea. Keeping your profit centers separate and distinct make those working within those centers (and your customers) focused on that particular product or service. Adolph Coors didn't change his company to Great Beer did he? Anheuser Busch kept the Busch brand, right? Budweiser was synonymous with Busch in many people's minds. Same sort of concept applies here. While "CyberSpace" may work out for you in the end, I'd stick with your name-people know it Rick, they associate it with great domain names, they recognize it and understand that this is where you go for industry-leading advice, commentary, and domains. Instead, why don't you turn CyberSpace into a social network for domainers? Charge for it, make it exclusive..... Turn it into an auction platform like BIDO. Why not? You're almost running a full time auction house right now anyway, aren't you? Look at what SEDO, BuyDomains, etc. are clearing on auction sales... Whatever you do, don't drop your branded name. Again, if you go there, it'll eventually work out but it's going to cost you some time and money marketing it, socializing it, getting people to understand it.... Godaddy's a "brand", SEDO's a "brand", Rick Latona's a "brand".... Tread lightly...

Latona Media
or
RL Media

Cyberspace name would allow you to venture into cross selling other services like hosting and developement all on one domain. The name is generic and explanatory. I like it, allows to ad many different potential advertisors.

I considered this a humorous thought months ago but should you one day want to sell the company how would you detach yourself from RickLatona.com? On the other hand you have already built a brand around it.

The redeeming quality of RickLatona.com is personal name recognition as a industry leader and broker so retain this for online brokering, newsletter and trade show auctions. Tuck everything under CyberSpace.com including RickLatona.com but keep the brand. (Perhaps CS just like "tm" at the top left of each of your logo's?)

If you wish to make a transition you can put "Rick Latona's Cyberspace.com", later you can remove the name and leave "Cyberspace.com", by then people will recall the affiliation.

This was for arguments sake, use something other than CyberSpace.com.

I think the thing that matters first, is why are YOU looking to take your name out of it. I would understand from a business standpoint why you would, and domainers need to realize there is a much bigger world than the domain industry. That is probably why you are doing this. I like Latona.com on its own, or do a Fabulous. RL media sounds good too. You could also try a name like Xerox make something up. The domain industry will know right a way its you so you will lose nothing there.

Cyberspace.com is a great name.
It's what you need to be a leader in the development of Internet sites and services.
The chance you are discovered by someone using CyberSpace is 500% more better then using RickLatona.com

Cyberspace is old school though still easy to brand. You own many generic domain names that will definitely more applicable for the "now" business.

Cheers and goodluck.

My gut tells me that CyberSpace.com isn't the way to go Rick. I think you've done a good job branding your name and that you should keep it as a property or under the umbrella of the new name of your company, but not CyberSpace.com.

CyberSpace.com seems better for some kind of news or media site.

I say come up with something new and cool as the name of your digital holding company and overall brand but keep RickLatona.com as the name of your domain sales business.

Wishing you the best on whatever you choose!

I think your on the right track but with the wrong name, domainers know RickLatona.com but if you looking to expand beyond domainers a new name is a good choice but CyberSpace.com is like owning a Polaroid camera today.
Everything you do has to do with the Internet so maybe a name the has Internet in it would work. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Stay with RickLatona.com for everything.

Plan A - You already own Latonas.com and I think it's the perfect fit. I hate typing two words.

Where did that name sell? "Latonas Auction". How did you finance your name? "With a Latonas Loan" Does Rick still offer his personal newsletter? "Yeah, he's still running his personal site at RickLatona.com"

Plan B - I think it would be true to the evolution of your company in naming your offspring Apollo or Artemis, following greek Mythology. Or possibly Zeus, the father of twins, Apollo and Artemis. After all, you are the king of domains.

P.S. Hate Cyberspace.

Cyberspace is owned by escrow.com? Anyways...go easy on Rick guys, hes old Cyberspace is a great name but I haven't heard anyone use that term in at least 10 years. Stick with rick.

I think that it would be a beneficial move and it is a great name.

Cyberspace is an amazing brand for an online umbrella company. Do it.

You had it right about CyberSpace.com - 90's term.

Don't use the domain. It will immediately bring about dated concerns...

I really like the name but I don't think it is right for you line of work. I would go for something like cyberrealestate.com or virtualrealestate.com. Yes they are long but they accurately describe your business. Good luck with it either way.

What better than Cyberspace.com could scream "click on me" for domain names and related services. Dont let Rick Latona drop though, use it as your voice /blog to keep us all informed. Whatever you decide to do good luck.

Without a doubt, you should definitely rebrand under the cyberspace.com brand. It is an excellent domain. A domain of such a high calibre shows the true power of your operations.

Stick with Latona or go with something agressive like "DnHunt.com", "NameHunt.com" or "DomainHunt.com".

Cyberspace sounds old and outdated, others might think of it as trusted because of the ancient sound of it.

Cyberspace.com might be dated, but its the retro big daddy of the internet.

People won't forget Cyberspace.com but they will forget seeing your name on an ad.

If you are advertising high end domains in the WSJ what has the most impact Cyberspace.com or RickLatona.com? In terms of getting a newspaper article done by a newspaper and appearing to be an authority on the internet, talking on the telly etc... your name or CYBERSPACE.COM ???

It might be old. But look at all the gamers etc idolising Atari, Tron and other early Electonic media???? These same youths of the 1980s are now getting into the boardrooms etc of major corporates.

Cyberspace.com as a brand has enough latent marketing kick that it will save you money trying to get known.

There are a lot of great comments in this thread. Thank you so much, everyone. UFO, that was a kick butt reason to use cyberspace.com.

I've decided to go with Latonas.com though. It has a Soetheb's, Christies, Barett-Jackson feel to it.

the 90's are coming back very soon so any term connected to it will be hip. do it.

I remember seeing cyberspace.com at Great Domains (when Verisign ran the show) I think that would have been 2003 or 2004 and though it was a great name.

Possibly even as great as the UFO.ORG itself. Difference is they had it up for $500k which is a mountain of cash.

I think CyberSpace.com is a whale of a domain. Perhaps if you partnered with someone to do the webhosting bandwidth business it could be a great name for it, even just as a registry name its awe inspiring. It’s the big daddy.

We japanese like cyber related words very much. Different countries have different ideas on specific words. Good luck!

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