Domain Name Dictionary
A comprehensive glossary of domain investing terms and definitions. Learn the language of domain names from A to Z.
.
.AI
The country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Anguilla that has become extremely popular for artificial intelligence companies and projects.
.APP
A generic top-level domain (gTLD) operated by Google, designed for mobile applications and app developers.
.CLUB
A generic top-level domain for communities, organizations, and membership-based groups.
.ONLINE
A generic top-level domain suitable for any internet-based business or presence.
.STORE
A generic top-level domain designed for e-commerce and retail businesses.
.TECH
A generic top-level domain targeting the technology sector.
.XYZ
A generic top-level domain marketed as the domain for 'every website, everywhere.
A
A Record
An Address Record in DNS that maps a domain name to an IPv4 address.
Acronym
Acronym Names refer to domain names that are made up of the initial letters of multiple words. These types of domains are typically short, usually 2-4 characters long, and are highly valued due to ...
Aftermarket
Secondary domain sales market
Aged Domain
A domain name that has been registered for an extended period, typically several years or more.
Ahrefs
A comprehensive SEO toolset widely used in domain investing to analyze backlink profiles, organic search traffic, and domain metrics.
Alpha Domain
Alpha Names, in the context of domain investing, refer to domain names that are composed entirely of letters, without any numbers or hyphens. These can be single-word domains (like 'Software.com'),...
Appraisal
A professional or automated assessment of a domain name's market value based on factors like length, keywords, and comparable sales.
ARIN
ARIN, or the American Registry for Internet Numbers, is a nonprofit organization that manages the distribution of Internet number resources, including IPv4 and IPv6 address space, and Autonomous Sy...
Auction
Domain Name Auctions are a common method for buying and selling domain names. These auctions happen in several ways: Expiry Auctions: When a domain name's registration is not renewed, it even...
B
Backorder
Attempt to register an expiring domain
BFCM (Brandable For Common Meaning)
A domain investing strategy focused on acquiring short, pronounceable, made-up words that could serve as brand names across multiple industries.
BIN (Buy It Now)
A fixed price at which a domain can be purchased immediately without negotiation.
Blocklist
A list of domain names or IP addresses flagged for spam, malware, or other malicious activities.
Brandable
In terms of domain names, "brandable" refers to a name that is unique, catchy, and easy to remember. Brandable domain names are typically non-specific and don't necessarily contain keywords that ...
Broker
A professional intermediary who facilitates domain name transactions between buyers and sellers, typically earning a 10-20% commission.
Buy It Now
"Buy It Now" (BIN) is a term often used in online auctions and marketplaces, including domain name platforms. It refers to a fixed price set by the seller that allows a buyer to purchase the item...
C
ccTLD
Country Code Top-Level Domain
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of geographically distributed servers that deliver web content to users based on their location for improved speed and reliability.
Cease and Desist
A formal legal letter demanding that someone stop an allegedly illegal activity, such as using a trademarked term in a domain name.
Churning
The unethical practice of repeatedly selling domains among a small group of investors to artificially inflate prices or create a false sales history.
CIRA (Canadian Internet Registration Authority)
The organization that manages the .ca country code top-level domain for Canada.
Cleanup
The process of reviewing and dropping underperforming domains from a portfolio to reduce renewal costs.
Cloaking
A technique where different content is shown to search engines than to regular visitors, often considered a black-hat SEO practice.
Closeout Domain
A closeout domain is a domain that has gone through an auction process but did not receive any bids. These domains are then available for immediate purchase at a fixed price for a limited period, t...
CNAME
Canonical Name Record - a DNS record type that maps an alias domain name to the true (canonical) domain name.
CO
".co" is a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) assigned to the Republic of Colombia. However, it's widely used as an alternative to ".com" for commercial purposes by businesses all around the...
COM
".com" is a top-level domain (TLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet. Its name is derived from the word "commercial," indicating its original intended purpose for domains registered by ...
Comps (Comparables)
Historical sales data for similar domain names used to estimate a domain's value.
CPC (Cost Per Click)
The amount advertisers pay for each click on their ads for a particular keyword.
CVCVC
A domain naming pattern consisting of Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (e.
Cybersquatting
Cybersquatting, also known as domain squatting, is the act of registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someo...
D
DA (Domain Authority)
A search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs).
DDNS
\nDDNS, or Dynamic Domain Name System, is a service that maps internet domain names to IP addresses as those IP addresses change. Traditional DNS servers provide a fixed IP address for a domain nam...
Defensive Registration
Registering domain names to protect a brand rather than for direct use or resale.
Deleted Domain
A deleted domain is a domain name that was previously registered but has been released back into the pool of available domain names because the owner did not renew it before the expiry date. Her...
Dev Domain
A domain name using the .dev extension, intended for software development purposes and requiring HTTPS.
DHCP
DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a network protocol used on IP networks where a DHCP server dynamically assigns an IP address and other network configuration parameters to each devi...
Dictionary Domain Name
A dictionary domain name is a domain name that uses a word or words that are found in the dictionary. These words can be in any language, but most commonly they are in English. For example, "apple...
DNS
Domain Name System
DNS Records
Configuration entries that tell DNS servers how to handle requests for a domain, including A, CNAME, MX, and TXT records.
Domain
A domain, also known as a domain name, is more than just the address of a website. It's a digital asset with potential value that can rise or fall based on numerous factors. A domain is a unique...
Domain Flipping
Domain flipping is a key strategy in our industry. It's the practice of buying domain names at a low cost and then selling them for a profit. The process involves identifying domain names that h...
Domain Hack
A domain hack is a creative and clever strategy used in the selection of domain names. A domain hack is not about hacking or any illicit activities; instead, it refers to a domain name that combine...
Domain Investing
Domain investing refers to the practice of purchasing and holding domain names as a financial investment.The goal of domain investing is to buy domain names at a low cost and then sell them for a h...
Domain King
The term "Domain King" is closely associated with Rick Schwartz, a pioneering figure in the domain investing world. He earned this nickname due to his impressive track record of buying and sellin...
Domain Lease
An arrangement where a domain owner allows another party to use a domain name for a recurring fee without transferring ownership.
Domain Name
A domain name can be defined as the unique, human-readable Internet address of a website. It is used to identify and locate web pages on the Internet in an easily understandable way, rather than us...
Domain Propagation
The time it takes for DNS changes to a domain to be recognized across all internet servers globally.
Domainer
A person who invests in domain names as a business or profession.
Domaining
"Domaining" is the business practice of buying, selling, and monetizing domain names for profit. It's essentially the real estate of the internet, where domains are the virtual properties. Dom...
DomainTools
A leading provider of domain name research and monitoring services including WHOIS history and reverse lookups.
DR (Domain Rating)
A metric developed by Ahrefs that measures the strength of a domain's backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100.
Drop
"Drop" refers to the process when a domain name registration expires and is not renewed by the original owner, thus becoming available for registration by others. Here's a breakdown of the pro...
Drop Catch
See Drop
Drop Catching
Registering recently deleted domains
Drop Date
The specific date and time when an expired domain becomes available for registration again.
DRP (Domain Resolution Policy)
Alternative dispute resolution policies used by various domain registries to handle domain name conflicts.
E
Edu
".edu" is a top-level domain (TLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The name is derived from 'education', indicating that it's primarily used by educational institutions, specifically a...
EIGRP
\nEnhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) is an advanced distance-vector routing protocol that is used on a computer network for automating routing decisions and configuration. Developed...
EMD (Exact Match Domain)
A domain name that exactly matches a search query, such as CheapFlights.com for 'cheap flights.'
Emoji
"emoji" refers to the small digital images or icons that are used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication. However, in the context of domain investing, emoji can also refer to a...
End User
Final buyer for domain use
EPP Code
A unique authorization code required to transfer a domain from one registrar to another, also called a transfer code.
Escrow
Escrow is a term that describes a financial arrangement where a third party holds and regulates payment of the funds required for two parties involved in a given transaction. It helps make transact...
Expiring Domain
An "expiring domain" refers to a domain name whose registration period is about to end. When a domain name is registered, it's typically done so for a specific period of time, often one to ten ye...
Expiry Auction
An auction held for a domain name that wasn't renewed by its owner before it becomes publicly available.
Extension
The suffix at the end of a domain name, also called a TLD, such as .com, .net, .org, or country codes like .uk.
F
Forwarding
Redirecting visitors from one domain to another, commonly used for alternate domains or misspellings.
Fractional Domain Name Ownership
Fractional domain name ownership is a method of investing in domain names where multiple individuals or entities share ownership of a single domain by dividing it into fractional shares. Each owner...
G
GDPR
GDPR is an acronym that stands for General Data Protection Regulation. This is a law enforced by the European Union since May 2018, aimed at giving EU citizens control over their personal data and ...
Generic Domain
A "generic domain" (also known as a generic top-level domain - gTLD) refers to a domain name that uses a common, general term as its second-level domain. They're called "generic" because they d...
Geo-Domain
A "geo-domain" refers to a domain name that includes geographical identifiers, such as the name of a city, state, country, or region. These domains are usually highly valuable due to their local ...
GoDaddy Auctions
One of the largest domain name auction platforms, hosting both user-listed domains and expired domain auctions.
Google Trends
Google Trends is a valuable tool provided by Google that shows how often a particular search term is entered into the search engine relative to its total search volume over a given period of time. ...
Gov
.gov is a top-level domain (TLD) that is specifically reserved for the use of governmental entities in the United States at the federal, state, and local levels.The .gov TLD is managed by the Gener...
Grace Period
A window after a domain expires during which the original owner can renew it at the standard price, typically 30-45 days.
gTLD
Generic Top-Level Domain
H
Hack
See Domain Hack
Hand Registered
Hand Registered (or hand reg) refers to the process of registering a new domain name that hasn't been owned or registered by anyone else before. This is done directly through a domain registrar ...
Hijacking
Domain hijacking refers to an illicit activity where an individual or entity illegitimately takes control of a domain name without the consent of its rightful owner. This is usually done by exploit...
Holding Costs
The ongoing expenses associated with maintaining domain ownership, primarily annual renewal fees.
Holding Page
A temporary webpage displayed on a domain that's not yet fully developed, often showing 'coming soon' or 'for sale' messages.
HTTP(S)
HTTP(S)" refers to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (Secure). This is the protocol over which data is sent between a user's browser and the website they are connected to. The 'S' at the end of H...
Hyphenated Domain
As a professional domain name investor, a "hyphenated domain" refers to a domain name that includes one or more hyphens (-) between words. For example, www.example-domain.com is a hyphenated doma...
I
ICANN
ICANN is an acronym that stands for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. ICANN is a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation with participants from all over the world dedicated...
ICANN 60-Day Rule
\nThe rule, in place for the protection of the domain owner, states that a registrar may deny a request for a transfer of a newly registered domain to another registrar if within 60 days of initial...
IDN (Internationalized Domain Name)
A domain name that includes characters from non-Latin scripts, such as Chinese, Arabic, or Cyrillic.
IDNA
Internationalized Domain Names in Applications
Inbound Link
A hyperlink from another website pointing to your domain, which can improve search rankings and domain value.
Inbound Sale
Inbound sale refers to a transaction where a potential buyer approaches you, the domain owner, expressing interest in purchasing a domain you own. Inbound sales are often the result of someone d...
Info
.info is one of the many top-level domains (TLDs) available for registration. It was one of the first TLDs introduced to alleviate the demand for .com domains and it's intended for informational we...
Io
.io is a top-level domain (TLD) that originally served as the country code for the British Indian Ocean Territory. However, in recent years, it has gained popularity in the tech and startup communi...
IP Address
IP address (Internet Protocol address) is a fundamental concept that you need to understand, even though it's not directly related to the business of buying and selling domain names. An IP addre...
IPSec
IPSec, short for Internet Protocol Security, is a suite of protocols used to secure internet protocol (IP) communications by encrypting and authenticating all IP packets of a communication session....
IPv4
As a professional domain name investor, "IPv4" is a term you should be familiar with, even though it's not directly involved in the buying and selling of domain names. IPv4 stands for Internet...
IPv6
As a professional domain name investor, "IPv6" is a term that's important to understand to fully comprehend the internet infrastructure. IPv6 stands for Internet Protocol Version 6. It is the ...
ISP
ISP stands for Internet Service Provider. It's a company that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the internet. ISPs can be commercial, non-profit, privately owned, or commu...
K
L
Landing Page
A single webpage designed for a specific purpose, such as collecting leads or providing information about a domain for sale.
Landrush
A period during the launch of a new TLD when domains can be registered before general availability, often at premium prices.
Lead Generation
Using domain names to capture potential customer information through parked pages with contact forms or advertising.
Legacy TLD
The original group of top-level domains including .com, .net, .org, .edu, .gov, and .mil.
Listing
Adding a domain to a marketplace or sales platform to make it available for purchase.
LLL.com
A domain consisting of exactly three letters followed by .com, with only 17,576 possible combinations making them scarce and valuable.
LLLL.com
A four-letter .
Locking
A security feature that prevents unauthorized changes or transfers of a domain name.
LOI (Letter of Intent)
A formal document expressing a buyer's serious interest in purchasing a domain, often including proposed terms.
Long-Tail
A long-tail domain name is a highly specific, often multi-word domain that targets a narrow niche or precise search intent rather than a broad, competitive keyword. Instead of trying to rank for or...
M
Majestic
An SEO tool specializing in backlink analysis that provides Trust Flow and Citation Flow metrics.
Make an Offer
Make an Offer refers to the process where a potential buyer proposes a price they are willing to pay for a specific domain name. This is typically done when the domain name is listed for sale but w...
Me
".me" is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Montenegro. However, due to its potential for wide-ranging personal branding—since "me" is used in English as a reference to ones...
Mil
The .mil domain is a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) that is used exclusively by the U.S. Department of Defense and its subsidiary or affiliated organizations. Its name is derived from the first ...
Mobi
.mobi is a TLD dedicated to delivering the internet to mobile devices. It was designed to help users find web content that will work on their mobile phones. The ".mobi" TLD is sponsored by a cons...
Monetization
Generating revenue from domain names through parking, development, lead generation, or affiliate marketing.
Moz
An SEO software company that provides tools for domain analysis, keyword research, and link building.
MX Record
Mail Exchange Record - a DNS record that specifies the mail server responsible for receiving email on behalf of a domain.
N
Nameserver
A server that handles DNS queries for a domain, translating the domain name into its IP address.
NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)
A legal contract requiring parties to keep transaction details confidential, common in high-value domain sales.
Negotiation
The process of discussing and agreeing on a price for a domain name between buyer and seller.
Net
.net is one of the original top-level domains (TLDs) introduced in the internet's early days, along with others like .com, .org, and .edu. The .net extension was initially intended for network tech...
New gTLD
Generic top-level domains introduced through ICANN's expansion program starting in 2014, including .app, .blog, and .shop.
NNN.com
A three-digit numeric .
NNNN.com
A domain consisting of exactly four numeric digits followed by .com, with only 10,000 possible combinations.
Numeric Domain
A numeric domain refers to a domain name that consists entirely of numbers. These can range from single-digit domains to ones with several numbers. The value of numeric domains can vary greatly....
O
One-Word Domain
A domain consisting of a single dictionary word (e.
Org
.org is one of the original top-level domains (TLDs), alongside others like .com, .net, and .edu. The .org extension was initially intended for organizations, particularly those in the non-profit s...
Organic Search
Organic search, from a domain name investor's perspective, refers to the unpaid search results that are generated by search engines like Google or Bing. These results are ranked based on their rele...
Outbound Sale
Outbound sales refer to the proactive effort to sell your domain names. This involves identifying potential buyers, reaching out to them directly, and trying to convince them of the value of the do...
P
Parking
Parking refers to the practice of registering a domain name and placing it on a temporary webpage, often filled with advertisements. The goal of domain parking is to generate revenue from clicks on...
Parking Page
Monetized placeholder page
Pending Delete
The final stage before an expired domain is released back to the public, during which it cannot be renewed.
Pigeon Domain
A misspelling or typo variation of a popular domain name designed to capture traffic from users who mistype the original URL.
PMD (Partial Match Domain)
A domain containing keywords related to a search query but not matching exactly, such as BestCheapFlights.com.
Portfolio
A portfolio refers to the collection of domain names that an investor currently owns. The size and quality of a domain name portfolio can vary greatly depending on the investor's strategy. Some ...
PPC
Pay-Per-Click advertising
Premium Domain
High-value domain name
Private Registration
A service that replaces the domain owner's contact information in WHOIS records with the privacy service's information.
Propagation
The process by which DNS changes spread across the global network of DNS servers.
Punycode
ASCII representation of Unicode domain names
Push
Push refers to the process of transferring a domain name from one account to another within the same domain registrar. This is different from a traditional domain transfer, which involves moving a ...
Q
R
Redemption Period
A period after the grace period when an expired domain can still be recovered, but at a significantly higher fee.
Redirect
Automatically sending visitors from one URL to another, used to consolidate domains or preserve SEO value.
Reg Fee
Short for 'registration fee' - the cost to register a domain name for one year.
Registrant
A "Registrant" refers to the individual, company, or organization that has registered and holds the rights to a specific domain name. Essentially, the registrant is the legal owner of the domain....
Registrar
Domain name registration company
Registration Fee
Registration Fee refers to the cost associated with registering a new domain name with a domain registrar. This fee is paid by the person or entity who wants to obtain the right to use that domain ...
Registry
TLD operator
Renewal Costs
\nRenewal Costs or Renewal Fees refer to the annual payment required to retain the registration of a domain name. When you register a domain name, you essentially lease it for a specific period, co...
Reseller
A company that sells domain registrations through a registrar's system, often white-labeled under their own brand.
Reserve Price
The minimum price a seller will accept at auction; if bidding doesn't reach the reserve, the domain isn't sold.
Reverse Auctions
A "Reverse Auction" is a type of auction where the roles of buyer and seller are reversed. In a traditional auction, multiple buyers bid for a single item which is owned by a seller. The price ty...
Reverse Hijacking
Reverse Hijacking (also known as reverse domain name hijacking or RDNH) refers to an unethical and unjust action where a trademark owner attempts to secure a domain name by making false cybersquatt...
ROI (Return on Investment)
The profit or loss from a domain investment relative to its cost, including registration, renewal, and marketing expenses.
S
Search Volume
The average number of times a specific keyword or phrase is searched in search engines over a given period, typically monthly.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization
SERP
Search Engine Results Page
Short Domain
A domain name with few characters, typically under 6 letters, valued for being easier to remember and type.
SLD
As a professional domain name investor, "SLD" stands for Second Level Domain. In the structure of a domain name, it is the component that directly precedes the top-level domain (TLD). For exam...
Spam
Spam refers to unsolicited, irrelevant, or inappropriate messages sent on the internet, typically to a large number of users, for purposes such as advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc. ...
SSL
SSL" stands for Secure Sockets Layer. It's a standard security protocol used for establishing encrypted links between a web server and a browser in online communication. The use of SSL ensures tha...
Stealth Acquisition
Purchasing a domain without revealing the true buyer's identity, often through a broker or shell company.
Sunrise Period
A Sunrise Period refers to a specific time frame during which trademark holders have the opportunity to register domain names that match their trademarks before they're available to the general pub...
T
Thin WHOIS
A WHOIS system that provides only basic registrar information, requiring additional queries for full contact details.
TLD
The term "TLD" or "Top-Level Domain" is fundamental to your line of work. It refers to the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the "dot" symbol. There...
TLS
TLS is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide secure communications over a computer network. It's the successor to Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). When a domain uses TLS, it means that data se...
TMCH (Trademark Clearinghouse)
A global repository of verified trademarks used during new gTLD launches.
Trademark
A "Trademark" is a crucial term to understand. It refers to a legally registered symbol, word, phrase, or combination of these, used to represent a company or product. It distinguishes the goods ...
Traffic
Visitors to a domain name or website; domains with existing traffic are more valuable than those with no visitors.
Transfer
Transfer is a term you'll encounter frequently. It refers to the process of changing the registrant or registrar of a specific domain name. There are two main types of transfers in the domain na...
Trustee Service
A service that holds domains on behalf of registrants who don't meet local presence requirements for certain ccTLDs.
TTL
Time To Live - a DNS setting that specifies how long (in seconds) a DNS record should be cached by resolvers before requesting an update.
Tv
.tv is a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) that you might encounter. Despite being the ccTLD for the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu, it has gained global popularity due to its association with...
Two-Word Domain
A domain name composed of two words combined (e.
Type-In Traffic
Type-in traffic is a term you'll encounter often. It refers to the visitors a website receives directly from users typing the URL into their browser's address bar, rather than arriving through a se...
Typo Domain
Typo Domains refers to domains that are intentionally registered with misspellings, typos, or common typing errors related to popular domain names or brands. The purpose of typo domains is often...
U
UDRP
Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy
URL:
The term "URL" or Uniform Resource Locator is fundamental to your business. A URL is essentially the address of a specific webpage or file on the internet. It is made up of several components ...
URS
Uniform Rapid Suspension system
V
W
W3C
It stands for the World Wide Web Consortium. The W3C is an international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web. It's led by Web inventor and Director T...
Web Browser
A web browser is a software application used to locate, retrieve, and display content on the World Wide Web, including webpages, images, video, and other files. As a user navigates from one webp...
Whois
Domain ownership lookup system
Wholesale
In domain investing, selling a domain to another investor or reseller at a price below retail/end-user value for a quick, guaranteed sale.
WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization