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

# Namecoin

The first blockchain naming system, launched in 2011 as a spin-off of the Bitcoin software. Its names end in .bit. That ending is not in the DNS root, so normal browsers and resolvers cannot reach these names without extra software.

## related terms

- [blockchain domain](https://tldlog.com/glossary/blockchain-domain/)
- [alternative root](https://tldlog.com/glossary/alternative-root/)
- [Handshake](https://tldlog.com/glossary/handshake/)
- [ENS](https://tldlog.com/glossary/ens/)
- [OCTO-034](https://tldlog.com/glossary/octo-034/)