ICANN approves Verisign plan to eliminate third-level .name domains, breaking long-standing personal sites, email, and APIs

Neil Fraser says his neil.fraser.name domain, used for his website, email, and API services for nearly 25 years, will disappear in February despite being registered through 2040. Verisign proposed ending the entire third-level .name hierarchy to simplify administration, and ICANN approved the change in July 2026.

The decision highlights the fragility of digital identity when registry policy changes can override long-term domain registrations. It may deepen concerns about namespace stability and push developers, archivists, and individuals toward more conventional domains or redundant identity infrastructure.