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TheDomain Name System of theInternet consists of a set oftop-level domains that constitute theroot domain of the hierarchicalname space and database. In the growth of the Internet, it became desirable to expand the initial set of sixgeneric top-level domains in 1984. As a result, new top-level domain names have been proposed for implementation byICANN. Such proposals included a variety of models ranging from the adoption of policies forunrestricted gTLDs that could be registered by anyone for any purpose, tochartered gTLDs for specialized uses by specialized organizations.[1] In October 2000, ICANN published a list of proposals for top-level domain strings it had received.[2]
The following ccTLDs (country code top-level domains) have been requested using a procedure known as the Internationalized Domain Name (or IDN) ccTLD Fast Track Process.
| DNS name | IDN ccTLD | Country | Transliteration | Script | ccTLD | Year of application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| xn--wgv71a | .日本[3][4] |  Japan | Nippon orNihon | Kanji (bothKyūjitai andShinjitai) | .jp | 2008 |
| xn--vcst06ab2a | .日本国[3] | Nippon-koku orNihon-koku | Kanji (Shinjitai) | 2012 | ||
| xn--mgbb7fyab | ليبيا. |  Libya | Lībyā | Arabic | .ly |
The following countries have national languages that use other scripts than Latin but have no internationalized country code top-level domain, and none proposed in the above list:[original research?]
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Cambodia
Cyprus
Eritrea
Ethiopia
North Korea
Kyrgyzstan
Lebanon
Maldives
Myanmar
Nepal
TajikistanThese proposals are centered on creating an independent Internet identity for linguistic and cultural communities. They are mostly inspired by the success of the.cat domain created for websites in theCatalan language or about theCatalan culture.
| Domain name | Intended use | Sponsor | Year of Proposal | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welsh language andWales | dotCYM Cyf | 2006 | It was proposed by dotCYM for Welsh language and Wales, but ICANN has reserved this for eventual assignment to theCayman Islands. See also.cymru and.wales. | |
| .eng | England | DotEng | 2008 | TheDotEng.org website was set up by John Sewell of Maidenhead in Berkshire. Mentioned inPC Pro Online:Campaign begins for .eng domainArchived 2009-04-06 at theWayback Machine, Stuart Turton, 23 April 2008 |
| .ker | Cornish language andCornwall | Cornish World Magazine[5] | 2008 | Proposed domain name derived from "Kernow" |
| .lli | Leonese language andculture | puntuLLI | 2007 | Several companies, associations, organizations, and institutions are involved in this campaign. |
| .nai | Native, Aboriginal, andIndigenous peoples of the Americas | nai | 1999 | The original proposal for a Native American managed TLD predates ICANN, and its form was adopted by ICANN as the "sponsored" type of application and eventual contract in the 2001 new gTLD round..nai's mission is to implement a top-level name space with an indigenous policy, provide an alternative to the several thousand indigenous public administrations, and the larger numbers of indigenous non-governmental, linguistic and cultural institutional, public and private economic enterprises, bands and individuals in the Western Hemisphere currently using name spaces operated under for-profit or colonial policies, and promote the economic development of Indian Country. |
| Scotland | dotSCO | 2005 | dotSCO began in late 2005 and has been campaigning to build support for a new TLD from among the Scots community around the world. The campaign now appears to be defunct, effectively replaced by now-approved.scot. | |
| .sic[7] | Székely Land | Pontsic Foundation | 2009 | pontSIC began in late 2008 and has been campaigning to build support for a new TLD from among theSzékely community around the world. The campaign was started by theSzekler National Council, and now are involved several companies and institutions. As of September 2009 there are over 33,200 signatories. |
In addition to traditional ICANN-regulated proposals, several projects have introduced top-level domains that operate on decentralized networks rather than the Domain Name System (DNS). These so-calledWeb3 orblockchain domains use distributed ledgers or smart contracts to register and resolve names, independent of ICANN governance.[17][18]
Several Web3 registrars, such as Freename, Unstoppable Domains, and the Ethereum Name Service, have marketed blockchain-based top-level domains that mimic or extend conventional naming conventions. One example is the proposed.prompt domain, associated with Freename, which was mentioned in industry press following a United States intent-to-use trademark filing in August 2025.[19] Although such Web3 domains function outside the DNS root, their growing visibility has prompted discussion about potential coexistence or conflict between decentralized naming systems and ICANN-governed namespaces.
