Instinct or random selection is not how one selects a domain name. It is to be done with great thought and purpose. There exists a philosophy to it. Consider the following:
-> A common and sensible method would be to use the name of your site as the domain name. Like www.writerfind.com is a sensible domain for a site where one can locate writers or www.dictionary.com for an online dictionary. When the purpose of the site is a part of the URL it makes it easy for customers to remember the site and for new browsers to click on it.
-> If the domain name is for an industry then you could think of using a generic name. Select a name that represents one hundred percent the market segment, www.autoinsurance.com would represent to a T the auto insurance business.
-> Choose a domain with a.com extension. If that is not available then the alternate should also be a top level domain type.
-> A short domain name is recommended over a long one just for the sake of easy recollection. However a long domain name can contain more key words and this could be a benefit where search engines are concerned. Research your options carefully. A long name works if it is dead...