This article was published on October 23, 2013

ICANN introduces its first top-level domains using non-Latin characters


ICANN introduces its first top-level domains using non-Latin characters
Josh Ong
Story by

Josh Ong

Josh Ong is the US Editor at The Next Web. He previously worked as TNW's China Editor and LA Reporter. Follow him on Twitter or email him a Josh Ong is the US Editor at The Next Web. He previously worked as TNW's China Editor and LA Reporter. Follow him on Twitter or email him at [email protected].

ICANN announced today that it has begun its expansion of new top-level domains, including the first names that use non-Latin characters, such as Arabic, Cyrillic and Chinese.

The expansion will take the number of generic top-level domains (gTLDs) from 22 to 1,400. Non-Latin domain strings include:

  • شبكة (xn--ngbc5azd) – Arabic for “web/network”
    Registry: International Domain Registry Pty. Ltd.
  • онлайн (xn--80asehdb) – Cyrillic for “online”
    Registry: CORE Association
  • сайт (xn--80aswg) – Cyrillic for “site”
    Registry: CORE Association
  • 游戏(xn--unup4y) – Chinese for “game(s)”
    Registry: Spring Fields, LLC

Domain registries will undergo a 30-day waiting period for trademark owners to protect their marks before the new gTLDs take effect.

➤ Internet Domain Name Expansion Now Underway [ICANN.org]

Thumbnail credit: Andrew Cowie / AFP / Getty Images

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Published
Back to top