.NAME Domain Names

WholeSaleNics.net is offering .name domain registrations now. We are currently processing batch submissions each week. The registry is planning to move to real-time operations in May of 2002.

.name is the only gTLD that is available exclusively to individuals. It offers both domain name registration services and e-mail forwarding. You as an individual get a digital identity that is not cluttered with the names of other companies. This is a name and e-mail address that friends will easily remember, and it can be used for the rest of the registrant's life.

.name schedule:

.name pre-registration will be performed using batch submissions on a bi-weekly basis until May, 2002, when the registry goes live.

.name Landrush results schedule announced dates
9th Landrush period: week of April 9, 2002

Real-time registration: currently planned for May, 2002
Transfer functionality: currently planned for June, 2002

Registrations must be made on the third level for both domain names and SLD e-mail forwarding. A .name Web address must look like this:
firstname.lastname.name or
lastname.firstname.name

A .name e-mail address must look like this:
firstname@lastname.name or
lastname@firstname.name

Domain name registration service

WholeSaleNics.net began accepting pre-registrations for .name domains on November 7, 2001. Any individual or entity is eligible to register a Personal Name if they fall into one of the following categories.
The Personal Name of an individual Any person can register his or her own personal name, and a parent can register the Personal Name of his or her child, provided that the registration is in the name of the child. The same applies to names given as gifts. All registrations must remain in the name of the rightful owner of the domain.

The name of a fictional character Any individual or entity can register the Personal Name of a fictional character if that individual or entity has trade or service mark rights to the name. This way, fictitious characters can maintain a presence within the .name domain.

Additional characters Registrants can add numeric characters to the beginning or end of a Personal Name to differentiate it from other Personal Names. For instance, if john.smith.name is already registered, an eligible registrant may opt to purchase john5.smith.name or john.smith5.name.
Domain Name Registrations can be made for periods of 1, 2 or 10 years.

Cost:
1 year: $15.00
2 years: $30.00
10 years: $140.00

Reserved names

ICANN has sanctioned that all single-character labels and two-character labels will be reserved initially. Registrants cannot register domains in the forms a.b.name or me.we.name. GNR (the .name registry) has also reserved additional names that will be blocked at the registry level. The additional names can be found at: http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/name/registry-agmt-appx-02jul01.htm.
Neither GNR nor WholeSaleNics.net will initially verify whether or not the registrants' personal names match the registrations. Registrations can be challenged using the process outlined below.

Personal domain registration and second-level domain e-mail forwarding bundle

The forwarding service allows up to 3,000 e-mails to be sent in a 24-hour period and a total forwarding queue of up to 50MB. This bundle allows registrants to purchase both a domain name registration and a second-level domain e-mail forwarding account as a package. Bundles can be purchased for terms of 1, 2 or 10 years.
Cost is:
1 year: $30.00
2 years: $60.00
10 years: $180.00

If a registrant does not purchase the SLD e-mail address at the time of domain registration, later availability cannot be guaranteed.

Modifications and transfers for domain registrations

SLD e-mail forwarding and bundles Modifications for all products are allowed during the pre-registration period. Processing of modifications make take up to three weeks due to the asynchronous operations involved. Transfers for all products are not permitted during the pre-registration period. Transfers are permitted on the 61st day of the Registry Live period.

If you still have questions about the limitations of .name, please see email us..

Challenges against a .name domain:

Any third party can challenge a registered name on the grounds that it does not meet the eligibility requirements, or that it violates ICANN's Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). GNR will apply a new dispute resolution policy to .name registrations, in addition to the UDRP. The new policy is called the Eligibility Requirements Dispute Resolution Policy (ERDRP). If you wish to learn more about the ERDRP, please go to: http://www.icann.org/tlds/agreements/name/registry-agmt-appm-03jul01.htm.

In the event of a challenge, if the decision holds that the registered name does not meet the eligibility requirements, the following will apply:
1. If the challenger meets all eligibility requirements, he or she may have the registered domain name transferred.
2. If the challenger does not meet all eligibility requirements, he or she will be offered the opportunity to register the same combined second and third-level name as a Defensive (see c. below) Registration.