The top-level domain (TLD) .ME is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Montenegro. Though designed as a national designation, its broad international appeal and easily personalizable connotation have made it popular worldwide.
Top-level domains are the highest level of domain names in the root zone of the Domain Name System of the Internet. They are installed in the root zone of the domain name space and are typically composed of two or more letters. Types of TLDs include generic top-level domains (gTLDs), like .com, .net, .org, country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), like .us, .uk, .jp, and infrastructure top-level domain, only one of which exists: .arpa.
The .ME TLD was delegated to the government of Montenegro by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) after the nation gained its independence from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in June 2006. The Montenegrin government then decided to promote the .ME extension as a global brand, attracting all Internet users around the world, rather than confining its use to Montenegrin companies and individuals only (Sources: “About .ME”. Domain.me, and Dusan Simonovic, project director for .ME at the Montenegrin Government).
.ME is managed by doMEn, a Montenegro-based company chosen by the government of Montenegro to manage the .ME domain name registry, with technical operations handled by Afilias. According to available statistics, as of August 2020, over 1 million domain names have been registered (Source: Ntldstats.com).
Due to its suggestive meaning, numerous businesses and individuals have adopted the .ME extension. Facebook, for instance, uses fb.me as a shortcut for its users. Wordpress, a popular website builder and blogging platform, uses wp.me. .ME has carved a niche for itself as a robust domain choice for personal and lifestyle branding.
In addition, companies specializing in technology and the digital world employ .ME to gently indicate their industry, as an abbreviation or play on words for ‘media’ or ‘medium’. Prominent tech and digital entities like About.me, a personal web hosting service, and Line.me, a communication app, demonstrate this usage effectively (Sources: “About.me homepage”. About.me, and “Line.me homepage”. Line.me).
Such instances affirm that while the .ME top-level domain may have originated as the digital manifestation of Montenegro’s sovereignty, its potential and usage have evolved far beyond its geographical limitations to find a universal resonance.
Sources used:
1. ‘About .ME’. Domain.me
2. Dusan Simonovic, Project Director for .ME at the Montenegrin Government
3. Ntldstats.com
4. ‘About.me homepage’. About.me
5. ‘Line.me homepage’. Line.me
