Ask HN: Custom email domains for personal email?

I've been considering getting a custom domain for my email so I wouldn't be tied to a single email provider, how have you set it up?

The registrar and the TLD have to be something trusted, I know people have gotten their cheap domains hijacked. Porkbun seems like a fair and inexpensive option, maybe with the .net TLD? Cheaper options exist but I don't want anything weird sounding that could trigger spam filters.

Also the naming scheme? I thought of firstname@lastname.tld, but many of them are taken, and if I were to set up multiple email aliases, I would be revealing my last name even if I don't want to. It should be at least a little professional sounding, something I won't regret in the long-term.

Of course many of these things are a matter of personal preference, but I want to hear how it works for everyone.