Data about the top-level domain (TLD) “.SURGERY” do not seem to be widely documented, likely suggesting that it hasn’t been broadly adopted or recognized given its specific nature. Top-level domains, in general, are the last part of a website’s domain name. They are typically categorized into three types: generic TLDs (gTLDs), such as “.com” or “.net”; country code TLDs (ccTLDs), like “.uk” or “.us”; and new TLDs (nTLDs), which include any recently created domain extensions, potentially like “.surgery”.
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), a non-profit organization that oversees the internet’s addressing system, has frequently been adding new TLDs to the domain name system, which has increased the internet’s complexity but also potentially its utility & specificity. Prior to these additions, TLDs were limited to a few select options like “.com”, “.org”, “.net”, and country-specific codes.
Since “.surgery” is not on ICANN’s list of top-level domains, it’s likely that this TLD either doesn’t exist or isn’t widely recognized or used (source: ICANN.org). Nonetheless, the possibility of a “.surgery” TLD can be related to what’s known as branded or industry-specific TLDs, such as “.amazon” by Amazon company or “.finance” for financial institutions. These are typically employed to add a level of professional specificity, trust, and branding to a website’s URL.
On the other hand, there are indeed several health-related TLDs recognized, including “.health”, “.clinic”, “.hospital”, and “.dentist”. Yet, none seem to be specifically related to surgery (source: Donuts.domains).
Should a “.surgery” TLD actually exist, it would likely be utilized by hospitals, clinics, medical professionals, device manufacturers, or informational websites that focus specifically on surgery-related knowledge, belief, practices, or products. This could offer potential benefits in terms of specificity and trustworthiness. For example, an internet user looking for reliable information on a specific surgical procedure might have more confidence in a website with a “.surgery” TLD because it suggests a particular focus and expertise in that area. Similarly, a hospital or clinic website sporting a “.surgery” TLD may benefit from the added perception of professional branding.
However, it’s also important to note that various internet stakeholders have expressed concerns over the increasing number of TLDs, particularly around confusion and security aspects. For instance, some worry that a large number of TLDs could potentially cause users to mistakenly access unreliable or malicious sites.
In conclusion, while a “.surgery” TLD could theoretically offer benefits in certain contexts, it does not currently appear to be a recognized or commonly used TLD, according to available sources from ICANN and other respected domain name providers.
