New Rules for Domain Names

Link: New Rules for Domain Names | Blogging Sueblimely.

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ) has just approved key proposals to relax the rules on domain names which opens the way for more customization and flexibility. Domain names will now be allowed to use any combination of letters and numbers, including non-Latin characters.

Top level domain (TLD) names (the 2 or 3 letters after the dot) will not have to conform to the existing name conventions. So instead of .com we may be seeing .blog, .xxx or .sex to identify a site. Second level domain names (the bit before the dot) could use a TLD as a keyword giving more options for creativity in naming - .travel, .hotel, .photo. craft, .shop, .safeway. Towns and cities would not have to just rely on a country TLD name - .melbourne .waggawagga. The possibilities are endless, although a name will have to be either memorable, descriptive, distinctive or follow conventions taken up by similar niches to be of much use.