Overview
- .virgin is a brand generic top-level domain (gTLD) delegated under ICANN's New gTLD Program.
- It is intended to serve the Virgin brand and its affiliated companies as a dedicated online namespace.
- The registry is managed by Virgin Enterprises Limited, with back-end services provided by ARI Registry Services.
History
- The .virgin string was revealed during the gTLD application process on 13 June 2012.
- The TLD was delegated to the DNS root zone on 7 October 2015.
- Classified as a brand gTLD and operated by Virgin Enterprises Limited with ARI Registry Services as the registry backend.
Usage and Audience
- Primary users are Virgin Enterprises Ltd and its affiliates, including the company's customers, employees and partner organizations.
- Intended uses include branding, communication, technology and services platforms for the Virgin Group.
- The applicant described the TLD as an Internet space for distribution and exchange of information via websites, social networks, email and related technologies.
- Ancillary services mentioned as possible registry offerings include website hosting, SEO, marketing and consulting.
Registration Rules
- The applicant stated an intention to reserve all names within the TLD initially to Virgin Enterprises Ltd.
- At a later stage the company planned to register and use domain names from the TLD for promotional and navigational purposes.
- As a brand TLD, the namespace is under the control of Virgin Enterprises Limited.
SEO and Brand Impact
- The TLD is positioned as a brand-controlled namespace to strengthen Virgin's online identity and communications.
- Operated by a globally recognized brand, .virgin is intended to support marketing, navigation and consumer recognition tied to the Virgin Group.
Notable Cases or Examples
- An objection was filed by Saudi Arabia's Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) on the grounds that the TLD might be used by pornographic sites.
- Beyond the applicant's stated use and the delegation milestone, no specific public example domain deployments are detailed in the source material.
Operator
Virgin Enterprises Limited
Whois
% IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object
domain: VIRGIN
organisation: Virgin Enterprises Limited
address: The Battleship Building
address: London England W2 6NB
address: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
contact: administrative
name: TLD Registry Services Management
organisation: Nominet
address: Minerva House
address: Edmund Halley Road
address: Oxford Science Park
address: Oxford OX4 4DQ
address: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
phone: +44.1865332211
e-mail: registrymanagement@nominet.uk
contact: technical
name: TLD Registry Services Technical
organisation: Nominet
address: Minerva House
address: Edmund Halley Road
address: Oxford Science Park
address: Oxford OX4 4DQ
address: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
phone: +44.1865332211
e-mail: registrytechnical@nominet.uk
nserver: DNS1.NIC.VIRGIN 213.248.219.40 2a01:618:403:0:0:0:0:40
nserver: DNS2.NIC.VIRGIN 103.49.83.40 2401:fd80:403:0:0:0:0:40
nserver: DNS3.NIC.VIRGIN 213.248.223.40 2a01:618:407:0:0:0:0:40
nserver: DNS4.NIC.VIRGIN 2401:fd80:407:0:0:0:0:40 43.230.51.40
nserver: DNSA.NIC.VIRGIN 156.154.100.3 2001:502:ad09:0:0:0:0:3
nserver: DNSB.NIC.VIRGIN 156.154.101.3 2001:502:2eda:0:0:0:0:3
nserver: DNSC.NIC.VIRGIN 156.154.102.3 2610:a1:1009:0:0:0:0:3
nserver: DNSD.NIC.VIRGIN 156.154.103.3 2610:a1:1010:0:0:0:0:3
ds-rdata: 41930 8 2 64e74557cc76dd3bb05f8eb86ebf531b186d95e91bfdaa09f35fd620d960603a
whois:
status: ACTIVE
remarks: Registration information: http://www.virgin.com
created: 2015-09-10
changed: 2025-01-28
source: IANA
