The domain name system, or DNS, is an important, standardized naming system for any entity on the internet. At the top of this hierarchy are top-level domains, or TLDs, such as .com, .org, .net, etc. According to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization responsible for coordinating unique identifiers on the internet, there are currently over 1500 TLDs (ICANN, 2021).
However, as of now, there is no TLD of .PRIME recognized by ICANN or any other internet governing body. The accepted TLDs are listed in the Root Zone Database, maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). There is no current record of a .PRIME TLD in this database (IANA, 2021).
This doesn’t mean .PRIME will never be a TLD. ICANN periodically opens application periods for new generic TLDs (gTLDs), the most recent of which was in 2012. During these periods, any organization can propose a new gTLD, and if approved, the organization manages that TLD’s use.
For example, during the 2012 application period, Google applied for the .app TLD. The application was approved and .app officially launched in 2018. This process is rigorous and costly, with the application fee alone being $185,000 (ICANN, 2021). Should ICANN hold another gTLD application round in the future, an organization could certainly propose and possibly gain approval for .PRIME.
In a hypothetical case where .PRIME would become a TLD, it could be used for a range of purposes. The word “prime” is associated with different meanings such as “of first importance” or even related to mathematical concept of prime numbers. It could be used by businesses focusing on prime services or products, educational institutions for mathematics programs, software companies dealing with prime algorithms, among many other possibilities.
Given the dynamism and the ever-evolving nature of the internet, it is important to take actions to ensure that the DNS reflects the needs of users worldwide. Therefore, the availability of the .PRIME TLD can only be answered definitively by an official announcement from ICANN.
Sources:
- ICANN (2021). New gTLDs. Available at: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/
- IANA (2021). Root Zone Database. Available at: https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db
Note: Since the information changes often, it’s always good to check the latest from the official ICANN or IANA websites for the most accurate information.
