Verisign to delete 22,000 .name domains amid backlash

Verisign’s decision to remove 22,000 third-level .name domains has triggered a wave of opposition from registrants who claim the move amounts to domain seizure for commercial resale. The registry, which operates the .name top-level domain (TLD), received approval from ICANN to proceed with the deletions, arguing most affected domains were unused and posed no security risks. Registrants, however, dispute this characterization, with some alleging the plan will expose them to identity theft and disrupt decades-old online identities.

What happened

Verisign notified registrars in late August that it would delete approximately 22,000 third-level .name domains—structured as firstname.lastname.name—as part of a push to standardize the TLD around conventional two-level domains (e.g., lastname.name). The registry stated the change would simplify technical operations for itself and registrars. Under the current structure, registrants own only the third-level domain, while Verisign retains control of the second-level (lastname.name). The deletions would free these second-level domains for future registration, potentially as early as February 2027.

Registrants, many of whom have held their domains for over 20 years, were caught off guard by the decision. Software developer Neil Fraser, representing himself and nine others, warned ICANN that deleting the domains could enable new registrants to impersonate the original owners by recreating their email addresses. "They would have access to banking, government, taxes, and other services," Fraser wrote, noting the impossibility of updating every account tied to an email address used for 25 years. Another affected registrant, lawyer Troy Rollo, described the difficulty of changing email addresses linked to accounts established since 2002, calling the process "nigh-on impossible."

Legal and regulatory pushback

ICANN has received four Requests for Reconsideration (RfRs) from affected registrants, including two filed in the past week. The filings argue that ICANN should reverse its approval of Verisign’s plan or at least grandfather existing registrants to prevent disruptions. Historically, ICANN’s RfR process has a low success rate, and neither ICANN nor its Ombuds has indicated willingness to intervene. The final decision now rests with ICANN’s board of directors, though no timeline has been provided.

Fraser, in a public statement, suggested legal action may be inevitable. "I’m just one of 22,000 people who will lose their domains," he wrote. "This is going to be fun. Time to lawyer up…" Verisign has not publicly responded to the backlash beyond its initial justification for the deletions.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights tensions between registry operators seeking to modernize legacy TLD structures and registrants who rely on long-standing domain configurations. For .name users, the deletions could force costly migrations or risk losing access to critical online services. The case also raises broader questions about ICANN’s role in approving registry policy changes that may disproportionately affect small groups of registrants, even when the changes align with industry standards.

What to watch

The outcome of the RfRs will signal how ICANN balances registry flexibility with registrant protections. If the board upholds Verisign’s plan, similar disputes could arise in other legacy TLDs with non-standard structures. Conversely, a reversal might encourage more registrants to challenge registry decisions through formal channels, increasing operational uncertainty for TLD operators.