Domain names : background

Are you looking to buy UK domain names? Know the background to domain names in the UK? Unsurprisingly, you may have found the ones you want have all gone - because over six million .uk domain names have now been registered.

With the number of domains finite, finding the one you want is either a case of extreme luck, deep pockets (if a generic word and the seller is willing to sell) or through uk domain name brokers like Stung.co.uk.

Stung limited invests in generic, memorable and keyword domains both for our own websites (see our websites page to see what we currently run) and for sale or lease. But let's give you a little background on UK domain names so you get a flavour of why they are so difficult to find.

UK domain name market background :

Before 1996 (ie. before Nominet) you only had to ask for a domain name and, if it was free, you were entitled to claim it as yours! No fees at all! Things have changed a lot since then and there are now over six million domain names that end with .uk (.co.uk, .me.uk and .org.uk being the three most popular).

Nominet is a not-for-profit private company charged with managing all domain suffixes that end in .uk - like .co.uk, me.uk, org.uk, .sch.uk (schools), .gov.uk (Government), .ac.uk (academic institutions) and even .ltd.uk (supposed to be for limited companies).