The Biggest Domain Name Event: NamesCon

Did you know that domain names have their own industry event? NamesCon is the biggest event in the world of domains, and it’s just held its 10th anniversary event. We’ve got a brief look at the highlights of the event and some future trends for domain names to share with you.

What Is NamesCon?

NamesCon has been running since 2014 and was started by Jothan Frakes and Richard Lay as a way for domain industry specialists to come together. It’s an event focused on sharing resources and insights, providing domain providers and technologists with new tools and techniques.

The 2024 event was held at the Omni Hotel in downtown Austin, Texas. As usual, NamesCon attracted a big crowd of industry specialists from the United States, Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Highlights of the 10th Anniversary Event

People head to NamesCon to find out what’s going on in the domain industry. It’s a great networking opportunity for anyone in web-based tech and is ideal for discovering what peers are excited about.

This year, one of the big talking points was what AI means for domains. AI has been a hot topic across multiple industries, and it’s no surprise to see it on the agenda at this tech-based conference. There are now even .ai domain names available to buy for businesses associated with the emerging technology.

One of the more exciting events was the live auction. Led by Wayne Wheat, a world champion auctioneer, the auction allowed attendees to bid on exclusive domain names. They even extended the auction to allow people to bid after the event on any domains that didn’t meet the reserve during the live event.

Notable Speakers at NamesCon

Of course, one of the strongest draws of NamesCon is the speakers. There were so many big names at this event. Dr. Paul Mockapetris was present, famous for being a pivotal player in the creation of the domain name system (DNS). He gave an inspiring talk on how DNS architecture is still shaping the way people navigate the digital world.

Rachel Sterling, CMO of Identity Digital, and Jacqueline Daly, VP of marketing at Dynadot were both present on a panel looking at online identities. Domain names are one way cybercriminals can try and hide their identity, by purchasing domains that imitate legitimate organizations. For example, if you work for mybusiness.com but receive links referring you to mybusiness.org, you might not realize the difference until it’s too late. Other aspects of online identity they explored included social media and navigating multiple platforms. One of the conclusions was that online creators need to get innovative to reach target audiences and provide safe spaces to interact.

Ajene Watson, the managing director of Dot Hip Hop, LLC, was part of a panel exploring the complexities of gTLDs (generic top-level domains). The term gTLDs refers to any domain name extension that’s not attached to a country or organization (e.g., .gov as a TLD can only be used by the United States government). Ajene is also the CEO of Digital Asset Monetary Network and partnered with Monte Cahn, director of RightOfTheDot, LLC, and others to launch the .hiphop gTLD. Hip hop is more than just music — it’s a thriving culture. This gTLD helps creators and others in the industry stand out from other websites.

The Future of Domains

Events like these help businesses understand what’s next for domain names and the wider internet. There was quite a buzz around Web3 extensions. These are extensions dedicated to blockchain technology and used to operate web-based resources connected to cryptocurrency. There were even some Web3 extensions available to bid on at the live auctions.

As mentioned earlier, AI was a major topic at the event. One of the emerging ideas is how AI can help businesses and individuals find the perfect domain name. It achieves this by sifting big data for trends and customer preferences.

A talking point that’s remained the same from year to year is how the right domain name can transform the fortunes of a company. Investing in a unique yet industry-appropriate domain helps target your audience much more accurately.

If all this excitement about domain names has inspired you to get your own, start with a domain search that will show you if your desired domain is available, with a range of great value ccTLDs or gTLDs.