Icann to release nine new top-level domain names

Domain Names

The Internet Corporate for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has released details of nine new publicly available domain names including .guru, .clothing, .singles and .bike.

The domain names will go live at the end of January next year. Other names made available include .ventures, .camera, .lighting, .voyage and .equipment.

The new domain names mark the start of a massive increase in the number of top-level domains. Icann will be releasing new domain names at the rate of 10 a week and will roll out around 1,400 new top-level domain over the next few years.

The organisation said that the new generic top-level domains (gTLD) would allow users to find the website they were looking for more easily while enabling businesses and organisations to benefit from having more relevant online names.

"From fashion brands and dating agencies, to spiritual healers and cycle advocates, the launch of these new domains mean consumers can easily find specific content within each extension, while businesses will benefit from a stronger and more relevant online proposition," said Jan Corstens, project director of Icann's Trademark Clearinghouse told the BBC.

The organisation has invited other organisation to submit applications to register names they are interested in acquiring.

Last month, Icann president of the Generic Domains Division, Akram Atallah, said that the expansion of gTLDs was the "biggest change to the internet since its inception."

"In the weeks and months ahead, we will see new domain names coming online from all corners of the world, bringing people, communities and businesses together in ways we never imagined," he said. "It's this type of innovation that will continue to drive our global society."

In October, four new domains were launched including the Arabic word for web, the Chinese word for game and the Russian words for online and website.

And, just ast week, the .london domain name was announced for businesses and individuals based in the capital.

Rene Millman

Rene Millman is a freelance writer and broadcaster who covers cybersecurity, AI, IoT, and the cloud. He also works as a contributing analyst at GigaOm and has previously worked as an analyst for Gartner covering the infrastructure market. He has made numerous television appearances to give his views and expertise on technology trends and companies that affect and shape our lives. You can follow Rene Millman on Twitter.