Mirror domains are special pairs or groups of top-level domain names that reflect the same territory or function, but differ in spelling: by linguistic tradition, style, or even historical features. They are like linguistic twins in the domain name world. For example, the regional domain zones are:
- .KYIV.UA and .KIEV.UA, or
- .RIVNE.UA and .ROVNO.UA
They stand for the same cities, Kyiv and Rivne respectively, but use different spellings according to Ukrainian and russified transcription.
It's still about Kyiv and Rivne, but the essence and meaning are still different.
Do not be confused with the concept of «mirror site», that is, with a site that partially or even completely duplicates the content of another web resource, essentially becoming a copy of it (we'll talk about this some other time).
Why mirrored domain zones appeared
- Historical reasons. Many domains, such as .ODESSA.UA, .CHERNOVTSY.UA or .NIKOLAEV.UA, were registered back in the days when Ukrainian cities were represented under the old transliteration rules or the influence of the russian language.
- Transliteration and standards. As the rules for spelling place names changed, actual variants appeared. For example, "KIEV" gave way to "KYIV" in international documents.
- Convenience and abbreviations. Some names are too long to be easily memorized or written. So, for the city of Mykolaiv there are .MYKOLAIV.UA and .MK.UA, and the old version .NIKOLAEV.UA is still functioning for those who are used to it or have not had time to move to the mirror zone. The same situation for Dnipro: .DNIPROPETROVSK.UA and .DNEPROPETROVSK.UA, and there is also .DP.UA.
- Transition period. Older versions remain available to avoid confusion while the new standards are coming into use.
Ukraine has its own "highlight" - an active transition to internationally recognized names, reflecting the process of derusification and strengthening of national identity.
What you should know about registering in a mirror domain zone
- If you register a domain in a mirror zone, you are automatically reserved similar names in other mirror zones. But you can register them only through the same registrar.
- If you want to transfer one of the mirror domains to another registrar, you'll have to transfer all related domains, that's the "magic of mirrors".
- When changing the owner or just some data in the domain form, be ready to update this information for all mirror names simultaneously. They should belong to the same person or organization.
Why old zones are disappearing
It is important that within the context of Ukrainianization some zones with russified names are no longer available for new registrations. However, their Ukrainian counterparts are waiting for their owners.
So, if you suddenly get the desire to register a domain name in the zones:
- .CHERNOVTSY.UA
- .KIROVOGRAD.UA
- .ROVNO.UA,
- .CHERNIGOV.UA,
- .KHMELNITSKIY.UA,
you will no longer be able to do so. It is correct to choose the appropriate zones with Ukrainian transliteration:
- .CHERNIVTSI.UA
- .KROPYVNYTSKYI.UA
- .RIVNE.UA
- .CHERNIGIV.UA
- .KHMELNYTSKYI.UA.
At the same time, if you already hold previously registered domains in the “obsolete” zone, don't worry: you will be able to renew and administer them as you normally would.
Choose Ukrainian regional zones with modern Ukrainian transliteration or abbreviated versions of zones. If you have any questions or need advice in choosing a domain zone, please contact our support, we will be happy to help you!
What about the world?
By the way, Ukraine is not the only country with mirror domain zones. We can find examples in many countries. Their use is also conditioned by cultural, linguistic, or historical peculiarities
Germany: .MUNICH.DE vs .MUENCHEN.DE — for English or German speakers.
Canada: .MONTREAL.QC.CA vs .MONTRÉAL.QC.CA — English and French versions.
France: .ALSACE vs .ALSACIEN — regional variants.
China: .中国 vs .中國 — mirrors simplified and traditional Chinese writing. But we'll probably never notice the difference.
Switzerland: .GENEVA.CH (French) and .GENF.CH (German) — multiple languages, multiple variants.
Ireland: .IE for general use and .EIRE for national pride.
As you can see, mirror domains are convenient and it's also an opportunity to emphasize your individuality.
