Ever wondered why your favorite websites end in “.com”? You’re not alone! The “.com” domain is king, with over 158.6 million registered names. It’s like the popular kid in school that everyone wants to be friends with.
But it’s not just about being cool; there are over 360 million domain names out there, each one a unique digital address. Imagine trying to remember all of those without handy domains—yikes! Whether it’s “example.com” or something more creative, these names help us navigate the vast internet jungle.
Understanding Domain Names
Domain names are like the street addresses of the internet. They tell your browser where to find a specific website. Each domain name has two parts: the second-level domain (SLD) and the top-level domain (TLD). The SLD is unique to your website, while the TLD indicates what kind of organization you are.
Examples of Domain Names
You see domain names everywhere online. Even now, you’re on one.
👉 Some popular domains include:
- google.com: Your go-to for searching everything under the sun.
- youtube.com: Where cat videos rule.
- facebook.com: For those who want everyone to know what they had for lunch.
- twitter.com: Home to 280-character rants.
- instagram.com: Where food gets more attention than people.
- baidu.com: Google’s cousin from China.
- wikipedia.org: The place where all your school projects were born.
How to Acquire a Domain Name
Buying a domain is like renting an apartment but way less stressful. You get it from a registrar for a set time, usually a year or more. If you don’t renew it, someone else can grab it faster than free samples at Costco.
This system keeps dead domains from cluttering up cyberspace. Businesses fold all the time—about 41% of domains aren’t renewed each year [1]. Lucky for us, this means nearly 29% of them get snatched up again by new users with fresh ideas.
The Cost of Domain Names
Domain prices vary wildly—from $10 to $30 million (yep, voice.com hit that mark) depending on their appeal [2]. Common TLDs generally cost $10-$20 annually; pricier ones can be $50+.
Some hosting providers offer free domains with their hosting plans—a great way to save cash and still look pro online.
Understanding the Difference Between URLs and Domains
A domain name isn’t quite the same as a URL. Think of it this way—the domain name is like the store sign above your shop door. The URL is more detailed—it includes not just your store sign but also tells people which street you’re on and even which aisle inside has those sweet discounts!
For example:
https://example.com/shop/sale
example.com= Store signhttps= Secure transfer protocol/shop/sale= Aisle number in our imaginary store
Exploring Top Level Domains (TLD)
Alright folks, let’s dive into the wild world of Top Level Domains (TLDs). These bad boys are the last part of a domain name. Think of them as the fancy hat your website wears to stand out.
Examples of Top Level Domains
There are five official types of TLDs:
- Generic Top-level Domains (gTLD): Anyone can use these domains. No restrictions!
- Example:
.com
- Country Code Top-level Domains (ccTLD): These signal your website operates in a particular country.
- Example:
.usfor the United States
- Sponsored Top-level Domains (sTLD): Managed by specific organizations with special registration requirements.
- Example:
.edufor educational institutions
- Infrastructure Top-Level Domain (ARPA): Used by the Internet Engineering Taskforce.
- Example:
.arpa
- Test Top-Level Domains (tTLD): Meant for documentation and testing websites.
- Example:
example
The first two types are what you’ll see most often online.
Popular Generic TLDs
Some gTLDs have been around since dinosaurs roamed the internet:
- .com
- .net
- .org
- .int
- .gov
- .edu
- .arpa
- .mil
Who hasn’t heard of these classics? They’re like the Beatles but for domains.
Popular Country Code TLDs
Let’s take a trip around the globe:
| Country | ccTLD |
|---|---|
| United States | .us |
| Spain | .es |
| France | .fr |
| Italy | .it |
| Brazil | .br |
| China | .cn |
Each ccTLD tells you where that site calls home.
Back in the day, choices were limited—like choosing between vanilla and chocolate ice cream when you really wanted rocky road. People settled for what was available.
Then came new gTLDs, over 1,000 shiny new options! Now you can find extensions like:
.store,
.ai,
.online,
and many more!
What Is a Fully Qualified Domain Name?
A Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) is like the full name of your website on the internet. It’s got all the bits needed to point exactly where your site lives in cyberspace.
Explaining Partially Qualified Domain Names (PQDN)
A Partially Qualified Domain Name (PQDN) is just a shorter version of this, missing some parts. Think of it as calling someone by their first name instead of their full name.
Here’s an example:
- DomainWheel FQDN: www.domainwheel.com
- DomainWheel PQDN: domainwheel.com
Comparing URLs and Fully Qualified Domain Names (FQDN)
URLs and FQDNs are like cousins. A URL includes everything you need to visit a webpage, such as “https://www.example.com”. It’s got the HTTP or HTTPS part too. An FQDN, on the other hand, sticks to naming things without bothering with protocols.
Examples of Fully Qualified Domain Names
Let’s look at some examples to make things crystal clear:
- mail.yourdomainname.com.
- en.wikipedia.org
- www.mywebsite.com
- www.mywebsite.org
- mail.mywebsite.com
- mail.mywebsite.org
These end with a period to show they’re complete names, but web browsers usually add that for you automatically.
Conclusion on Domain Name Examples 🪁
Domain names are like the street addresses of the internet. Without them, finding your favorite websites would be a nightmare. Imagine trying to remember a string of random numbers instead of just typing google.com or youtube.com.
Commercial Sites
Commercial sites use .com domains. Think google.com, youtube.com, facebook.com—these are household names now. Even instagram.com and twitter.com fall into this category. They make it easy for us to find and enjoy their services.
Non-Profit Organizations
Non-profits often use .org domains. Wikipedia is a prime example with its wikipedia.org domain. This helps users identify that it’s not out to make a profit but to provide valuable information.
Educational Institutions
Educational institutions prefer .edu domains like washington.edu for the University of Washington. It signals that you’re dealing with an academic entity.
Government Sites
Government sites usually employ .gov domains, such as usps.com for the United States Postal Service and irs.gov for the Internal Revenue Service. These tell you it’s an official government site.
Military Sites
Military-specific domains use .mil endings, which makes them unique and easily identifiable as military-related websites.
Other Examples
And then there are those quirky yet memorable ones like t-bones.com for T-Bones Great American Eatery. Such creative uses show how diverse domain names can be!
