"These are open for anyone to register:"
- .com represents the word "commercial," and although it is controlled by the U.S., it is the most widely used extension in the world. Most businesses prefer a .com domain name because it is a highly recognized symbol for having a professional business presence on the Internet and was among the first implemented in 1985. It is the assumed extension and the first automatic extension that search engines look for. An extension other than a .com could result in lost traffic to your site. (check for a .com now)
- .net represents the word "network," and is most commonly used by Internet service providers, Web-hosting companies or other businesses that are directly involved in the infrastructure of the Internet. Additionally, some businesses choose domain names with a .net extension for their intranet Websites. It is often one of the preferred alternatives if a .com name is not available.
- .org represents the word "organization," and is primarily used by non-profits groups or trade associations.
- .biz is commonly used for small business web sites.
- .info is for credible resource Web sites and signifies a "resource" web site. It's the most popular extension beyond .com, .net and .org.
- .us is for American Web sites and is the newest extension specifically for Americans. It has the largest amount of available names in inventory.
- .cc was originally the country code for Coco's Keeling Islands. It is unrestricted and may be registered by anyone, from any country and is often used in the United States.
- .bz Is commonly used by small business who can't get the name they want using the .biz extension. It is unrestricted and may be registered by anyone, from any country.
- .tv is for rich content/multi-media Web sites, commonly used within the entertainment or media industry.
- .vg is the country code for the British Virgin Islands. It is unrestricted and may be registered by anyone, from any country.
- .ws was originally designated as the country code for Western Samoa, but is now commonly used as an acronym for "Web sites." It is unrestricted and may be registered by anyone, from any country.
- .name is the only domain extension specifically designed for personal use. It is commonly used for easy to remember e-mail addresses and personal web sites that display photos or personal information about an individual.
- .fm is the country code for Federated States of Micronesia, but is commonly used for FM radio, and Radio related web sites.
- .am is the country code for Armenia, but commonly used for AM radio.
- .us.com is an alternate domain for the United States
- .gov is managed by the U.S. federal government and if you are not part of the U.S. government, you would most likely not be allowed to register that domain extension.
- .edu is open only to educational institutions accredited by an agency recoginized by the U.S. Dept. of Education.
- .mil is reserved for the U.S. military.
- .int is reserved for international organizations.
- .jobs is a domain name extension reserved for human resources managers and companies.
- .mobi (short for "mobile") is reserved for Web sites built for easy viewing on mobile devices.
- .travel is reserved for the travel and tourism industry. devices.
- .eu is the country code for the European Union. Registration of .eu domain names requires registrants to meet one of the three eligibility requirements: have a registered office, central administration or principal place of business within the European Community; have an organization established within the European Community without prejudice to the application of national law; or be a natural person resident within the European Community. Alternatively, you can secure the use of a .eu domain name by using Network Solutions .EU Registration Service. Network Solutions Europe, LLC is the registrar for all .eu names.
Other common extensions;
Other limited Sponsored extensions; (not available to everyone)
these have a gatekeeper agency or organization that decides who can and can't register them.