These are the 10 most popular domain extensions of 2022 + 10 notable newcomers

When registering a domain name, you must choose a domain extension and a name. Business owners often go for a domain extension that is familiar to customers. This is why some extensions are more popular than others. For the 20th anniversary of one.com, we have picked the top 10 most popular domain extensions of 2022 for you. And you will discover 10 notable newcomers!

What is a domain name extension?

A domain name extension is part of a domain name. It is the last part after the dot, such as ‘com’, ‘nl, ‘org’ and ‘store’. An extension indicates:

• what the site is about;

.PIZZA is probably from a pizza delivery business or pizza lover.

• what type of organisation it is;

.ORG is for websites of (non-profit) organisations.

• what the geographical location of an organisation is;
  .NL indicates that the organisation is based in the Netherlands.
• what language is used on the site.
  A site with .de is most likely German-speaking.

Fact: a domain name extension is also called domain extension, extension or top-level domain.

Which domain extensions exist?

Today, there are many different domain extensions available. It started with classic extensions like .com, .org and .net. Followed by country-specific extensions like .be, .uk and .fr. New ones like .actor, .band and .coffee are added every year.
Do you want to know which domain extensions exist? The organisation IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) keeps an up-to-date list of all valid top-level domains. On our website, you will also find a list of the domain extensions you can register with us, including prices.

What is the most popular domain extension?

Every quarter, Verisign publishes data of the current state of the domain name industry. This shows that at the end of the second quarter of 2022, .com is the most popular domain extension. This is not a surprise. The top-level domain has been the number one for years.

1. .COM

The .com extension was initially intended for commercial companies. In the 1990s, this changed. Now anyone can register a .com domain name. 

.COM is an internationally recognisable domain name extension. Because it has been around since 1985, it has become familiar to the public. In addition, with .com, you are not geographically bound to a specific area, making it easier to do business internationally.

What are the most popular domain extensions?

Have you become curious about more popular domain extensions? Here are 9 others.

2 .CN

The number 2 most popular domain extension is .cn, China’s country-specific extension. Not surprisingly, China is a big country with a fast-growing economy.

Previously, only multinational organisations with one or more locations in China could register a .cn domain name. Nowadays, other organisations and individuals can apply. .CN is managed by CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center).

3. .DE

.DE means ‘Deutschland’ and is the domain name extension of Germany. The first .DE domain name was registered in 1986, but the extension was not very popular. This changed in the 1990s; it was the first country-specific extension that passed the 1 million registrations. The .de extension is managed by DENIC (Deutsches Network Information Center).

4. .NET

.NET means ‘network’ and was initially intended for network organisations. It is one of the first classic extensions, introduced in 1985. Because no restrictions were attached to .net, the extension was soon used as an alternative to .com domain names. As a result, .net became one of the most popular extensions worldwide. The registry of .net is Verisign.

5. .UK

The number 5 most popular domain extension is .uk. This is the country-specific extension of the United Kingdom. The extension was released in 1985 and is now loved by companies, charities and individuals. Moreover, .uk is familiar to United Kingdom residents, making it attractive for UK companies to go for .uk. Nominet manages the extension.

6. .ORG

.ORG means ‘organisation’ and is one of the classic domain name extensions; it was introduced in 1985. .ORG was intended for non-commercial organisations with international visitors. Now charities, healthcare providers and cultural foundations and others use the .org extension.

.ORG is also seen as an alternative for .com. No restrictions are attached to a .org registration, making it attractive for anyone to register a .org domain name. PIR (Public Interest Registry) manages the extension. 

7. .NL

Say .nl, you say the Netherlands. In 1986, the domain name extension was the first country-specific extension made available to businesses outside the United States. Since 2003, anyone can register a .nl domain name. 

.NL is trusted by the Dutch people. Moreover, with .nl, you show Google that your website is intended for the Netherlands, which increases your chances of ranking higher in Google NL. .SIDN manages NL.

8. .RU

.RU is the country-specific domain extension of Russia. The extension .ru was introduced on 7 April 1994 and is managed by the Coordination Centre for TLD RU.

Please note: due to circumstances, it is currently not possible to register a .ru domain name at one.com.

9. .BR

.BR is the domain extension of Brazil. The extension is a bit special, because it is not possible to register a domain name directly under .br. However, you can use the .br extension with a prefix, such as:

• .com.br;
• .org.br;
• .vet.br;
• .blog.br.

10. .XYZ

The number 10 on the list of the most popular domain extensions is .xyz. The extension was founded in 2014 and owes its popularity to Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. The company registered abc.xyz, matching the name. 

.XYZ is an alternative to .com, the extension where many domain names are already taken. Moreover, .xyz is easy to remember, internationally recognisable and suitable for various purposes.

10 unusual new domain name extensions

As you have read earlier, new domain extensions are added to the group of new generic top-level domains (nTLDs) every year. Among popular domain extensions, fewer and fewer names are available. ICANN wants to give everyone a chance to purchase a good domain name and therefore introduced nTLDs. Have you become curious about the newcomers? Here are 10 of them.

1. .WORLD

.WORLD is an extension with unlimited possibilities. It is an internationally understandable term suitable for various purposes. For example, for forums, blogs or fan sites. But the extension is also useful if you run an international webshop or own a travel agency.

2. .EVENTS

.EVENTS is an eye-catching extension for event or concert organisers. Whether it’s a rock concert or a charity gala, with a .events domain name, you make your event stand out better.

3. .BLOG

Many bloggers use one of the common domain name extensions for their blog. But did you know that you stand out more with .blog? Even if you want to start a blog alongside your current business website, .blog is a good idea. Whether you write about fashion, food, sports, tech or beauty.

4. .ONE

With a .one domain name, you show you are the number one. .ONE is also suitable if you want, for example, to promote daily deals or when ‘one’ is a core term of your company.

Did you know that the domain name extension .one was released in 2015 by nic.one? This is a sister brand of one.com. We are one of the top registrars of .one.

5. .FASHION

Are you a fashion brand? Do you run a fashion magazine? Or do you love fashion? The .fashion extension is for you. With this extension, you immediately make it clear your website is about fashion. It is suitable for designers, sellers or fashion lovers.

6. .WOW

.WOW blows you away. It is the extension to share with others what you ‘wows’ on the internet. .WOW is especially suitable for bloggers, vloggers and artists. But you can also use the extension when you are launching a campaign as an organisation.

7. .CAREER

The majority of people search online for a job. As an employer, you want to stand out. You can achieve this with a .career domain name extension. For example, create an online platform with vacancies of your organisation. A .careers domain name can also be used for other purposes. For example, for a blog about managing work better. Or a platform to network with others.

8. .FLORIST

Domain extensions have also been created for specific professions, like .florist. It is the generic extension for florists, gardeners, hobbyists and wholesalers. You let your website flourish with a .florist domain name.

9. .SALE

Did you know that more and more people purchase online? With the .sale extension, you highlight your offers and sales uniquely. .SALE is also suitable for a platform containing the best offers from a specific industry.

10. .PARIS

Finally, .paris is also a new generic domain name extension. .PARIS is an internationally recognisable extension because who doesn’t know the metropolis in France? You can use .paris for many purposes. From patisseries or bakeries to travel agencies and other companies based in the capital.