What do the various Top Level Domains Mean?

.COM

There are more .COM names registered than any other top level domain. ".COM" was originally used for commercial websites, but now it generally means "common". There are no restrictions on who may register a .COM name, where the website is located, or what content appears on the website. It is often the first choice of website owners, if for no other reason than that it is the most popular and most familiar to end-users.

.ORG

Originally intended for non-profit groups and organizations, .ORG is also an unrestricted top level domain. Many non-profit organizations use .ORG names, but many, especially those that receive a lot of visits from the public, also register the .COM name if available.

Some opportunists have registered the .COM name for popular .ORG websites, hoping to profit from miss-typed domain names. If your site will receive a large amount of traffic from the general public, you should register both the .COM and .ORG names for your domain.

.NET

Originally intended for computer network and internet service companies, .NET is also an unrestricted top level domain. It is often used when the .COM version is not available, or to indicate that the company is a network service company. Be sure to register the .COM name if available.

.US

Registrants must be a citizen or resident of the United States. More than other domains, this top level domain is governed by the laws of the United States and the websites are less likely to contain illegal or obscene material. This can be a good choice for companies that use patriotism to market their products, and for community groups and politicians.

If you want to use a .US name, you should still register the .COM and .ORG names if they are available and forward them to your .US name.

.INFO

Established in November 2000, .INFO is a new, unrestricted, global top level domain. It is often used by companies and individuals to distribute information to the public, but there are no restrictions.

.BIZ

Another recent top level domain, .BIZ is restricted to business and commercial ventures. .BIZ domain names may not be used for non-commercial websites. These domain names are usually registered by companies that already own the .COM version of their name and wish to protect it in the .BIZ world. Others will register .BIZ as an inexpensive alternative to .COM names. Beware: Do not build a business based on a .BIZ name, if the owner of the same .COM name is a competitor of yours - your clients will get confused.

.NAME

A new top level domain intended for personal names, nicknames, aliases and the names of fictional characters.

Restricted Top Level Domains

.AERO

A new top level domain restricted to airlines, airports, pilots and the air transportation and recreation industries. More information is available at www.nic.aero

.COOP

A new top level domain restricted to cooperative organizations, such as credit unions and agricultural cooperatives. More information is available at www.nic.coop

.EDU

Restricted to postsecondary educational institutions that are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency. More information is available at www.educause.edu/edudomain

.GOV

Restricted for use by United States government organizations at the federal, state and local levels. More information is available at www.dotgov.gov

.INT

Restricted to organizations established by international treaties between or among national governments. More information is available at www.iana.org/int-dom/int.htm

.MIL

Restricted to the United States Department of Defense

.MUSEUM

A new top level domain restricted to museums, museum organizations and members of the museum profession. More information is available at about.museum

.PRO

A new top level domain restricted to certified professionals, including doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc. More information is available at www.nic.pro

Other Country Codes

Most countries have restrictions on who can register a domain name using that country's top level domain. Usually you need to be a citizen of the country or have a residence or business entity in the country. Some countries have opened up their top level domain for any who wish to use it as a way to make additional money for their country. Here are a sampling of the country codes that are available:

.AM

Assigned to the country of Armenia. Marketed as the .AM Radio top level domain.

.BZ

Assigned to the country of Belize. Promoted as a business top level domain.

.CC

Assigned to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Marketed as a general purpose top level domain.

.CD

Assigned to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Marketed as the top level domain for music CDs and DVDs

.FM

Assigned to the Federated States of Micronesia. Marketed as the FM Radio top level domain.

.NU

Assigned to the country of Niue. Marketed as the top level domain for hip, new websites

.SR

Assigned to the country of Suriname. Marketed as the top level domain for Seniors.

.TV

Assigned to the country of Tuvalu. Marketed as the .Television top level domain.

.WS

Assigned to the country of Western Samoa. Marketed as the general purpose .WebSite top level domain.

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