Domain Names

Can I use an emoji in my domain?

No, you can not. The RFC 5892 standard, as approved by ICANN, states that emojis are prohibited in domain names. We adhere to this standard and thus prohibit the use of emojis in domain names. There are simply many risks in using visual representation in domain names. ICANN has an easy-to-read infographic with the (hidden) risks, see here. But, we do not limit the use of emojis in subdomains. Therefore, if the applicable software applications allow it, you are free to create a subdomain with one or more emojis. However, be aware of the risks and restrictions that may occur. Note: there are only 11 top-level domains which allow emoji registration and 14 second-level domain registries. These include .cf, .fm, .ga, .gq, .kz, .ml, .st, .tk, .to, .uz, .ws, .radio.am, .radio.fm, .co.il, .org.il, .com.kz, .biz.ua, .co.ua, .pp.ua, .co.uz, .com.uz, .com.ws, .net.ws and .org.ws. We cannot and will not transfer or register domain names from these registries if the domain name contains an emoji. Our apologies.

Do you support IDN domains?

Yes we do! Internationalized Domain Names (abbreviated to IDN) are incredibly useful for representing non-latin characters in a domain name. It allows people around the world to use characters from their local language in a domain name. We are happy to participate in that. A few examples of IDNs for some frequently used TLDs: - münchen.de - périgueux.fr - украина.ua - bébé.be You may receive a message in the order form which states that IDN domains are not supported at the moment. This is a bug in the ordering system. Please contact our support team, they will be able to register your domain any way. Notes - Not every registry supports IDNs. If an IDN is not supported, this will be shown in the domain checker. - We prohibit the use of emojis in domain names according to the RFC 5892 standard. See what the risks of using emojis in domain names are in this infographic. - We may use Punycode and Unicode domain names interchangeably in our systems and communications.

What is a registry or NIC?

A domain registry, also known as Network Information Centre (NIC), is a company or foundation whose job is to manage one or more domain extensions (TLDs). A registry takes care of keeping the domain extension online and charges a fee per domain name. They take care of the registration of domain names and maintain a database of all registered domain names so that no one else can also register your domain name. That database also contains personal data about you. For example, your email address is recorded and your postal details too. The data from this database is used to populate the WHOIS. You are almost guaranteed to hear from your registry if you own domain names. In some cases, the registry sends emails to remind you of an expiring domain name or your registry is responsible for sending you your transfer code. Well-known examples of registries in the world include Verisign (.com and .net), Public Interest Registry (.org), EURID (.eu, .ею and .ευ) and SIDN (.nl and .amsterdam).

What is WHOIS?

WHOIS (amalgamation of "WHO" and "IS") is the protocol that allows anyone to request publicly available data about domain names from the registry. The protocol was once created to make it easier for users to obtain information about the domain owner to report abuse or request contact about possible sales, for example. At least the following information is provided for most domain extensions: - Name - Company (if applicable) - Address - Email - Registrar Privacy You may be wondering what this means for your privacy. We are happy to explain. For a long time, all the data were published and anyone was able to retrieve it. Mainly since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation, privacy has moved up the agenda worldwide. As a result, many companies have set up a service to protect privacy-sensitive data. Proxeuse also has such a service which we offer for free. Read more here.