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Definition[]

A second-level domain is the next highest level of the domain name hierarchy after the top-level domain. In a domain name, it is the alphanumeric string immediately to the left of the top-level domain, separated from it by a dot. Second level domain names are often the name of the organization which owns the domain name, e.g., microsoft.com.

Overview[]

Second-level domain names, the name just to the left of ‘.com’, must be exclusive. Therefore, although two companies can have non-exclusive trademark rights in a name, only one company can have a second-level domain name that corresponds to its trademark. * * * In short, the exclusive quality of second-level domain names has set trademark owners against each other in the struggle to establish a commercial presence on the Internet, and has set businesses against domain name holders who seek to continue the traditional use of the Internet as a non-commercial medium of communication.[1]

"Some specific 'vulgar' words and a few words that are prevented by federal statute from being used by private entities are not available as SLDs."[2]

There are several million enterprise-level (second-level or lower) domains. In fact, as of December 2008 there were more than 77 million registered domain names in the .com gTLD alone.

References[]

  1. Lockheed Martin Corp. v. Network Solutions, Inc., 985 F. Supp. 949, 952-53, 44 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1865 (C.D. Cal. 1997) (full-text).
  2. Avery Dennison Corp. v. Sumpton, 189 F.3d 868, 872, 51 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1801 (9th Cir. 1999) (full-text).
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