A domain name is a Web address. The domain name is the same as an IP address (which represents a physical point on the Internet), except the domain name is letters and numbers that make sense to humans, while the IP address is a series of numbers. Thus a domain name locates an organization or other entity on the Internet. When someone types a domain name into a Web browser, the requested Web page will open. For example, the domain name www.yourdomain.com locates an Internet address for "yourdomain.com."

A domain name consists of a top-level and a second-level domain. The "com" part of the domain name generally reflects the type or purpose of the organization or entity and is called the top-level domain (TLD) name. The part of the domain name located to the left of the dot (" . ") — "yourdomain" in this case — is called the second-level domain (SLD) name. The second-level domain name — being the "readable" part of the address — refers to the organization or entity behind the Internet address. Second-level domains must be registered through an Internet Corporation for Assigned Names & Numbers (ICANN) accredited registrar.