Published: 17.10.2026
The .wiki extension is a generic top-level zone whose ending is the word wiki, the name for a website where pages can be created and edited by many people. Fan communities, teams, research groups and software projects often use it for shared guides, reference collections and internal documentation. The word is clear and short, so a name in this zone explains its own purpose. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .wiki is still free.
Check if a .wiki domain is available .wiki Check
A short history
The word wiki comes from a Hawaiian expression meaning quick. It was given to one of the first collaborative website tools in the 1990s, and the term then spread to describe any site built from editable pages, from public encyclopedias to company handbooks. The .wiki zone belongs to the expansion of generic endings, and it has been chosen by people who want an address that describes the form of their content.
Who runs it
The .wiki zone has a single registry operator, bound by a contract with ICANN, which oversees the worldwide domain name system. The registry keeps the central record of names and writes the policy that registrars must follow when they take orders. Because that policy can change, read the terms in force on the day you order.
Rules in practice
- Openness: a generic zone such as this one is normally available to all, subject to the registry's acceptable use policy.
- Holder record: keep the contact details accurate, because a registrar may ask for confirmation when the data is checked.
- Building blocks: a name is made of letters, digits and hyphens, with a 63-character limit for one label.
- Renewal: choose a term that suits the project, then renew before the date, since an expired name can be released to others.
Who uses .wiki
- Fan communities that document a game, a series, a book or a hobby.
- Software teams and open-source projects that publish manuals and reference pages.
- Companies and schools that keep shared handbooks, onboarding guides and procedures.
- Researchers and study groups that collect notes, glossaries and reading lists.
Strengths
- The word describes the form of the site, so visitors understand that it holds editable reference pages.
- The name is short, easy to spell and easy to say aloud, which helps when you share it with a team.
- The zone is not tied to a country, so a documentation project can serve readers in many places.
Things to keep in mind
- Some visitors may expect an open community that anyone can edit, so state clearly who may contribute.
- Wiki is a widely used word, so a name built only on it may be crowded. A clear descriptor helps.
- Avoid names that imitate well-known wiki projects, because the owners of those brands may object.
- A newer generic ending may be less familiar to some readers than .com, so put the full address on every guide.
Tips before you register
- Search for the name in .com and in the places where your readers already gather.
- Decide early who may edit the pages, and describe the editing rules on the front page.
- Plan the structure of the site, such as a start page, a search function and a contact page, before launch.
- Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC records if you send newsletters or account e-mail from the domain.
- Protect the registrar account with two-factor login and keep the recovery details up to date.
Frequently asked questions
Is a .wiki name only for public encyclopedias? No. Teams, fan communities and private documentation projects use it too. The site can be open to the public or restricted, depending on how you set it up.
Does a .wiki name help a site rank in search? No ending can promise a ranking. Search engines look at the content, the structure of the pages and the links to them, so the quality of the guides matters most.
What happens if the project outgrows its name? Changing the address means moving the site, with redirects and updated links, so it is better to choose a name that can grow with the project.
