Upon conducting a thorough search, it appears that there is no specific top-level domain (TLD) named “.FIRESTONE”. Top-level domains are the suffixes at the end of internet URLs, which serve mainly to categorize domains on the internet. They include extensions like .COM, .NET, .ORG, .GOV, .EDU, and various country-specific ones like .US or .UK.
There are nearly 1500 TLDs recognized by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which is responsible for the global coordination of the DNS Root, IP addressing, and other Internet protocol resources. As of my research, “.FIRESTONE” is not included in the list of TLDs recognized by IANA.
It could be inferred that you might be referring to a brand or a company-specific domain. In that case, it is worth noting that companies may use their brand names as a part of their domain, as in “www.firestone.com”. However, this doesn’t mean “firestone” is a TLD. The TLD in this case is “.com”.
The ICANN New gTLD Program, however, has allowed organizations to apply for virtually any string as a TLD, creating a niche market for brand-specific TLDs. This program has resulted in branded TLDs like “.google”, “.amazon”, “.bmw”, etc. Such TLDs are used without hijacking the original brand name. They provide meaningful names that represent the business or the brand, improving the digital ecosystem’s efficiency, relevance, and security.
For a company to use its brand name as a TLD, it must go through a comprehensive application process with ICANN. This includes demonstrating the ability to run a piece of internet infrastructure reliably and securely. The application process is quite rigorous and carries an application fee of $185,000, with annual costs on top.
If Firestone, the known tire company, were interested in applying for a “.firestone” TLD, they would need to go through the same process outlined above. This would result in domains like “www.tires.firestone”, which would offer some interesting possibilities for online branding and customer engagement.
Sources:
1. Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db)
2. ICANN New gTLD Program (https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/)
3. Forbes: “Brands Are Winning With Their Own Top-Level Domains” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/10/04/brands-are-winning-with-their-own-top-level-domains/?sh=74f609357fe2)
