Can you register a domain name in Urdu?

How an Urdu domain name works

The domain system was built for plain English letters, digits and hyphens. To allow other scripts, the internet uses internationalised domain names, or IDNs. You type Urdu characters, and the software quietly converts them into an ASCII form called punycode.

That converted form starts with xn-- followed by a code. It is what the system stores and looks up. The Urdu version is the friendly display. This is why a name that looks fine on one screen can appear as xn-- text in another place.

• Urdu form: what people read and type
• Punycode form: the xn-- code the network uses
• Both point to the same website

Does Pakistan have an Urdu-script extension?

Yes. The IANA root zone lists .پاکستان as a country-code extension for Pakistan, written in Arabic script, with the code xn--mgbai9azgqp6j. IANA shows it as active, delegated on 15 February 2017, with the National Telecommunication Corporation as sponsoring organisation.

The same IANA entry lists no registry website. That matters for you. An extension existing in the root zone does not mean ordinary shops can buy names under it, or that a registrar sells it.

• Source of truth: the IANA root zone database
• Do not confuse it with the ordinary .pk, which PKNIC runs

What PKNIC says about Urdu names

PKNIC runs the ordinary .pk and .com.pk names. We looked at the PKNIC homepage. It does not mention Urdu or internationalised names. It lists only Latin-letter endings such as .pk and .com.pk. It says you are generally free to choose a name, but not one that is in use, reserved or prohibited.

So we will not promise that an Urdu-letter name under .pk works. If you need one, ask PKNIC directly before paying anyone. Get the answer in writing. Until you do, treat Urdu-script names under .pk as unconfirmed.

Practical risks of an Urdu-script name

Even where an Urdu name can be registered, daily use can be harder. Many customers type on phones with an English keyboard. Not every email or messaging tool handles non-Latin addresses well, so test yours first.

Browsers may also show the xn-- code instead of Urdu letters. ICANN's At-Large community notes this is done by default because of look-alike (homograph) attacks. The result can look odd or suspicious to a visitor.

For most small firms, a name nobody can type easily is a name few people will visit.

What we suggest instead

Pick a short Latin-letter name that sounds like the Urdu one when spoken, such as a roman-Urdu spelling of your shop. Then put your Urdu text on the website itself, where it displays properly. This gives you reach and a reliable address.

We can check availability live at /domains/ and share ideas at /ideas/. To compare extensions, read /pk-vs-com-pk-vs-com/ and /domain-name-rules/. Register spelling variants people are likely to mistype if the budget allows. We register in your own name through PKNIC or a registrar. Our WhatsApp sales team can answer questions first.

Common questions