A List of the Oldest Currently Registered Internet Domain Names

Do you love the internet? Today, most people do, whether they admit it or not. The internet is one of the most important inventions of our era, and this time will forever be remembered as the time when the world became completely connected. People on one side of the world can communicate instantly with those on the other side – what would people two hundred years ago have thought about this? The internet is a historic artifact with its own rich history, and a big part of that history is the web sites that have been on the internet. This is a list of the oldest currently-registered internet domain names.

• Nordu.net – registered January 1st, 1985. This belongs to a computer network group across the Nordic countries that focuses on research and education. The members are Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland.
• Symbolics.com – registered March 15th, 1985. This is the oldest .com domain name in the world, and used to be involved with computer research and technology. It is now owned by XF.com Investments.
• BBN.com – registered April 24th, 1985. This is a company that researches and develops high-end technologies. It was instrumental in the creation of the internet, and a noteworthy member on the list of the oldest currently-registered internet domain names.
• Berkeley.edu – registered April 24th, 1985. This is for the University of California at Berkeley, and it is the first school on our list of the oldest currently-registered internet domain names.
• CMU.edu – registered April 24th, 1985. This is for the Carnegie Mellon University, a private research school.
• Purdue.edu – registered April 24th, 1985. For Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana. This is part of the Purdue University system, one of the most prestigious academic systems on the list of the oldest currently-registered internet domain names.
• Rice.edu – registered April 24th, 1985. This is the domain name for Rice University of Houston, Texas. This is another private research college, and it is one of the most respected on the list of the oldest currently-registered internet domain names.
• UCLA.edu – registered April 24th, 1985. The University of California, Los Angeles claimed this domain name. The school was founded in 1919 and is one of the oldest campuses in California.
• Rutgers.edu – registered April 24th, 1985. For Rutgers State University of New Jersey. This is the largest school in the state.
• Think.com – registered May 24th, 1985. Claimed by the Thinking Machines Corporation, a supercomputer manufacturer. Their motto was “We're building a machine that will be proud of us.”

Well that tops off the list of the oldest currently-registered internet domain names. These are some of the domain names that were there for the start of the internet, and are historical objects in their own right. Visiting the oldest sites currently on the web is like taking a trip through a virtual museum, and can bring about an interesting new appreciation of the internet.


Photo Credit: Microsoft Sweden