The best thing is to try and get a .com name. But with so many good .com names taken, you may find it difficult to get the name you want. In this case, try a twist on the name such as with BuyDomains' naming suggestions (the MyDomainName.com, PlanetDomainName.com, etc.). A .com is traditionally the most trusted of the top-level domain names, but you can also use .net, .org, .biz, and there are dozens of official unique extensions specific to countries around the world (.de, .au, etc.). You can see these and get more information at most registrars.
A few years back there was a company that provided unusual domain name extensions, that promised to be a boon to site owners - such as mysite.mp3, mysite.game, and the like. The idea was that this would establish your site in a certain genre. The problem was that it required a browser plug-in, and I was never able to get mine to work properly. I would have like to see this take off, since the possibilities for themed sites was great.
There also exits several new official (and restricted/regulated) extensions such as .name, .pro, .museum - too many to list here. You can find out more about these at www.NameSecure.com.
When choosing your name, even if it is a variation as above, do not infringe on anyone else's trademark or copyright. For instance, don't register MyCocaColaHeadquarters.com unless you are pretty sure this is not in violation of Coca Cola's trademarked name. Some companies allow what are known as "fan sites", so if this is the case, you may be able to do it - but always check first rather than risk the name being seized and possible legal expenses or fines.
On the subject of trademarks, you *can* trademark a domain name in certain instances. I'll detail this is a future article.
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