As of now, there is no top-level domain (TLD) with the extension .SKY. A top-level domain refers to the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the “dot” symbol. The most common examples are .com, .net, .org, .edu, and country-specific ones like .us, .uk, .fr, and so on.
There are multiple types of top-level domains. The main ones are Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) like .com, .net, .org, and .edu; and Country-Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs) like .us for the United States, .fr for France, .uk for the United Kingdom and so on. There has been a progressive expansion of the roster of gTLDs, with a plethora of new TLDs being launched over the years under the Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Program of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
In 2012, ICANN launched a new program for gTLDs, allowing organizations to apply for domain name extensions with almost any word in many different languages (ICANN, 2018). This program led to the expansion of available TLDs, from .hotel to .music, .bank, .love, and more. This delegation of new gTLDs is ongoing, with the list of delegated strings being updated frequently. Companies often apply for their brand or service specific TLDs to maintain their digital branding and secure their online presence.
However, as of now, .SKY is not officially recognized as a TLD. This could be for a variety of reasons. Perhaps Sky as a company hasn’t applied for it, or if they had, it might not have been approved by ICANN. Each new TLD application undergoes a thorough evaluation process that includes several stages such as initial evaluation, dispute resolution, and pre-delegation, before it can actually be delegated and become operational.
To check the status of existing TLDs or applications, ICANN’s TLD Application Status page would be the most reliable source, providing full transparency to the application and evaluation process of new TLDs.
Sometimes, businesses also opt to use more commonly recognized TLDs, like .com or .net, so they are intuitive for their users to find. Seeing a .SKY might confuse users who aren’t used to seeing such specific TLDs.
However, it’s key to remember that TLDs expand and develop over time. While we do not currently have a .SKY TLD, there’s nothing in ICANN’s rules that suggests such a domain couldn’t exist in the future.
Sources:
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): https://www.icann.org/
ICANN – New gTLD Program: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/about/program
ICANN – List of Delegated Strings: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings
ICANN – TLD Application Status: https://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/application-results
