Domain Name Dictionary
Understanding domain-related terminology is essential for anyone involved in online business, website creation, or digital marketing. This domain name dictionary provides definitions for key terms, helping you navigate the world of domains with ease.
A
- Acronym: A domain name formed using the initials of a phrase or organization.
- Aftermarket: The secondary market where previously registered domains are bought and sold.
- Alpha Domain: A top-priority or premium domain name for a brand.
- ARIN (American Registry for Internet Numbers): The organization that manages IP address allocations in North America.
- Auction: A platform or process where domain names are sold to the highest bidder.
B
- Backorder: A service that attempts to register a domain as soon as it expires and becomes available.
- Brandable: A creative, easy-to-remember domain name that represents a business or brand.
- Buy It Now: A fixed-price sale option for domains.
C
- ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain): A two-letter domain extension specific to a country or territory (e.g., “.uk” for the United Kingdom).
- Closeout Domain: A domain available at a discounted price before being released back into the market.
- CO: The country code TLD for Colombia, often used as an alternative to “.com.”
- COM: The most popular and widely recognized top-level domain.
- Cybersquatting: The practice of registering domains to profit from the trademarks of others.
D
- Deleted Domain: A domain that has been removed from the registry and is available for re-registration.
- DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): A network protocol for assigning IP addresses automatically.
- Dictionary Domain Name: A domain consisting of real dictionary words.
- DDNS (Dynamic DNS): A method of automatically updating DNS records for dynamic IPs.
- DNS (Domain Name System): The system that translates domain names into IP addresses.
- Domain: A unique address used to identify a website on the internet.
- Domain Flipping: Buying domains to resell them for a profit.
- Domain Hack: A creative domain name that uses the extension as part of the name (e.g., “del.icio.us”).
- Domain Investing: The practice of purchasing domains as investments.
- Domaining: The activity of buying, selling, or monetizing domains.
- Domain King: A term often used to refer to a successful domain investor.
- Domain Name: The unique identifier for a website, such as “example.com.”
- Drop: A domain that has not been renewed and is released back into the market.
- Drop Catch: The process of registering a domain immediately after it expires.
E
- Edu: A TLD reserved for educational institutions.
- EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol): A routing protocol for computer networks.
- Emoji: A domain name that includes emoji characters.
- End User: The individual or company using a domain for its intended purpose.
- Escrow: A third-party service that holds funds during a domain transaction to ensure security.
- Expiring Domain: A domain nearing the end of its registration period without renewal.
F
(No new terms added for this section.)
G
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): EU regulations governing data privacy, impacting WHOIS information.
- Generic Domain: A domain name that uses common words or phrases (e.g., “shoes.com”).
- Geo-Domain: A domain name that includes geographic locations (e.g., “nycapartments.com”).
- Google Trends: A tool used to analyze the popularity of search queries, helpful for domain keyword research.
- Gov: A TLD reserved for government entities.
- gTLD (Generic Top-Level Domain): A top-level domain that isn’t tied to a specific country, such as “.com” or “.org.”
H
- Hack: A creative or clever use of domain extensions to form words or phrases.
- Hand Registered: A domain name that is registered manually by an individual rather than purchased from a marketplace.
- Hijacking: The unauthorized transfer or use of a domain name.
- HTTP(S): Protocols for transferring data over the web, with HTTPS indicating a secure connection.
- Hyphenated Domain: A domain name that includes a hyphen (e.g., “my-site.com”).
I
- ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): The organization responsible for coordinating domain names and IP addresses.
- Inbound Sale: A domain sale initiated by a buyer’s interest in the domain.
- IDNA (Internationalized Domain Names in Applications): A standard for domain names containing non-ASCII characters.
- Info: A generic TLD often used for informational websites.
- Io: A TLD originally for the British Indian Ocean Territory, now popular among tech startups.
- IP Address: A unique string of numbers identifying a device on a network.
- IPv4: The fourth version of the Internet Protocol, using 32-bit addresses.
- IPv6: The sixth version of the Internet Protocol, using 128-bit addresses.
- IPSec (Internet Protocol Security): A suite of protocols for securing IP communications.
- ISP (Internet Service Provider): A company that provides internet access.
J
(No terms added for this section.)
K
- Keyword Domain: A domain name that includes specific keywords relevant to a niche or industry.
L
(No terms added for this section.)
M
- Make an Offer: A domain sale strategy where buyers submit offers to the seller.
- Me: A TLD originally for Montenegro, often used for personal brands.
- Mobi: A TLD designed for websites optimized for mobile devices.
- Mil: A TLD reserved for the U.S. military.
N
- Net: A generic TLD often used by networking and tech businesses.
- Numeric Domain: A domain consisting entirely of numbers.
O
- Organic Search: Traffic generated through unpaid search engine results.
- Org: A generic TLD often used by non-profit organizations.
- Outbound Sale: A domain sale initiated by the domain owner reaching out to potential buyers.
P
- Portfolio: A collection of domain names owned by an individual or organization.
- Parking: Holding a domain without actively using it, often with ads displayed.
- Premium Domain: A high-value domain that is often short, memorable, or keyword-rich.
- Punycode: A way to represent Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) in ASCII characters.
- Push: Transferring a domain from one account to another within the same registrar.
Q
(No terms added for this section.)
R
- Registrant: The person or entity who registers a domain name.
- Registration Fee: The cost of registering a domain name.
- Registrar: A company that manages the registration of domain names.
- Registry: An organization responsible for maintaining a specific TLD.
- Renewal Costs: The annual fees required to keep a domain registration active.
- Reverse Auctions: A bidding process where prices decrease over time.
- Reverse Hijacking: An attempt to gain control of a domain through legal or unfair means.
S
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Techniques to improve a website’s ranking in search engine results.
- SERP (Search Engine Results Page): The page displayed by a search engine after a query.
- SLD (Second-Level Domain): The portion of a domain name directly to the left of the TLD.
- Spam: Unsolicited or irrelevant messages often sent in bulk.
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): A protocol for encrypting data transferred between a website and its visitors.
- Sunrise Period: An early registration period for trademark owners before a new TLD is publicly available.
T
- Typo Domain: A domain name that intentionally includes a common misspelling of another domain.
- Trademark: A symbol, word, or phrase legally registered to represent a brand.
- Transfer: Moving a domain from one registrar to another.
- TLD (Top-Level Domain): The last segment of a domain name, such as “.com,” “.net,” or “.edu.”
- TLS (Transport Layer Security): A protocol for encrypting communications, succeeding SSL.
- Tv: A TLD originally for Tuvalu, often used for television-related websites.
- Type-In Traffic: Visitors who enter a domain name directly into their browser.
U
- URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The full address of a web page, including the domain name.
- URS (Uniform Rapid Suspension): A fast-track process for trademark owners to take down infringing domains.
- UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy): A process for resolving disputes over domain ownership.
V
- Valuation: The process of estimating the value of a domain name.
W
- Web Browser: A software application used to access and display websites.
- WHOIS: A database of domain registration details, including ownership and expiration.
- W3C (World Wide Web Consortium): An organization that develops web standards.
Conclusion
This domain name dictionary provides the foundational knowledge you need to navigate the world of domains. Bookmark it for quick reference as you build and manage your online presence.