ICANN, the governing body for ".com" and other top-level domains, on Wednesday introduced a list of hundreds of new ones, including ".autoinsurance," ".google" and ".porn."
The list includes several examples in which multiple parties are applying for the same domains, like ".poker" and ".love." Such multiple claims may trigger an auction process.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) says it has received 1,930 requests for new names, 166 of which were not in the Latin alphabet. Those who want to oppose the claims have seven months to register their objections. Sometime after March 2013, ICANN plans to release the new domains in groups of 500.
Several Internet giants have applied for multiple domains, including Google, which has applied for dozens, including trademarks like .google, domains related to its core business (.docs) and fun options (.lol).
ICANN approved expansion of generic top-level domains last June. The option doesn't come cheap: The application fee alone is $185,000, and the annual fee is $25,000.