WhoisXML API analyzed more than 9.3 million newly registered domains (NRDs) added between 1 and 30 September 2022 to determine the top-level domain (TLD) and text string usage. We also investigated how news items were represented in the Domain Name System (DNS)—Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passing away and the iPhone 14 release. Check out the overview of our findings below.

Three-Month Domain Registration Volume

The domain registration volume for the past three months declined, logging a -73.64% decrease from July to September. From about 35.5 million new domains registered in July, the domain registration volume went down to 23.1 million in August. September saw the lowest domain registration volume, accounting for only 9.3 million NRDs. The chart below reflects this trend.

Zooming in on September NRDs

We studied the top TLDs and common text strings used in the domains added in September using a sample comprising more than 4.5 million NRDs. Below are our findings.

TLD Distribution

More than 60% of the domains fell under the .com space. The other major TLDs that made it to the top 10 were .org and .net, while the rest used new TLDs, such as .top, .store, .site, and .xyz.

No country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) made it to the top 10 list. However, .us had the most number of domain registrations out of all ccTLDs, accounting for 1% of total registration volume in September.

Common Strings Used in SLDs

The word cloud below shows some of the most commonly used text strings among the September NRDs. The appearance of “xn” indicates the prevalence of internationalized domain names (IDNs).

Aside from generic terms, like “shop,” “app,” “store,” and “today,” we also identified country-specific strings, such as “us,” “jp,” and “es.”

In the News

Trending news items in September made waves in the DNS, too. For one, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passing away drove the registration of some domains mentioning her name, up from only two domains in July and eight in August to 206 in September.

The same thing happened with the iPhone 14 release announcement. From two-digit registration volumes in July and August, the number rose to 287 in September. 

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We will continue monitoring the DNS for registration trends that could be relevant to organizations making critical business decisions.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information about the domain registration events and analyses mentioned above or any inquiries about enterprise commercial solutions