---
id: "gnu-name-system"
kind: "glossary-term"
title: "GNU Name System"
language: "en"
category: "Alternative naming systems"
updated: "2026-10-04T14:01:23Z"
canonical: "https://tldlog.com/glossary/gnu-name-system/"
translations:
  es: "https://tldlog.com/es/glosario/gnu-name-system/"
  de: "https://tldlog.com/de/glossar/gnu-name-system/"
  fr: "https://tldlog.com/fr/glossaire/gnu-name-system/"
  it: "https://tldlog.com/it/glossario/gnu-name-system/"
  pt-BR: "https://tldlog.com/pt/glossario/gnu-name-system/"
  ru: "https://tldlog.com/ru/glossariy/gnu-name-system/"
  zh-Hans: "https://tldlog.com/zh/cihui/gnu-name-system/"
---

# GNU Name System

A naming system that needs no central root. Each user decides which name zones to trust, and records are spread across a peer-to-peer network. It is described in RFC 9498, published outside the IETF standards process. It is not part of the DNS root.

## related terms

- [.alt](https://tldlog.com/glossary/alt-tld/)
- [namespace](https://tldlog.com/glossary/namespace/)
- [alternative root](https://tldlog.com/glossary/alternative-root/)
- [DNS](https://tldlog.com/glossary/dns/)
- [root zone](https://tldlog.com/glossary/root-zone/)