IDN Domains: Registering a Domain in Bengali, Arabic or Other Non-Latin Scripts

An internationalised domain name (IDN) is a domain that contains characters outside the basic English letters, for example Bengali, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese or accented Latin letters such as é. IDNs let people type a web address in their own language. They work well for websites, but there are some practical limits you should understand before you buy one.

How IDNs work

The domain name system itself only understands the letters a–z, digits and hyphens. To make other scripts work, each IDN has two forms:

Browsers convert between the two automatically. In control panels, DNS records and some email apps you may need to use the xn-- form. You can convert a name with any online Punycode converter.

Can I register one with FimuroHost?

Many generic extensions, including .com and .net, accept IDNs in a range of scripts, but each registry decides which scripts and characters it allows. To check:

1. Type the name in its native script on fimurohost.com/domain.
2. If the result shows it as available with a price, you can register it like any other domain.
3. If the search rejects it, the extension may not support that script, or our search may not support it for that extension. Open a ticket and we will check with the registry.

The Bangladesh extension .বাংলা is managed by BTCL and is not sold by FimuroHost, in the same way as .bd.

Things to know before you buy

• Email is limited. Many email systems still have trouble with non-Latin addresses. For a business, keep a Latin-script domain for email and use the IDN for the website.
• Typing can be hard. Visitors need a keyboard for the script. Many people will search rather than type the address.
• Some browsers show the xn-- form. To protect against look-alike scams, a browser may display xn--… in the address bar, especially when a name mixes scripts.
• Look-alike (homograph) names. Some characters look almost identical to Latin letters. Registries restrict mixing scripts to reduce this risk, but you may want to register obvious variants of your brand.

Using an IDN with FimuroHost hosting

1. Register or point the IDN just like any other domain. Nameservers are always plain Latin names such as ns1.stackdns.com.
2. When adding the domain to your hosting, enter it in the form the control panel accepts. If the Unicode form is rejected, use the xn-- form.
3. Free SSL certificates work with IDNs; the certificate is issued for the xn-- form, and browsers display it correctly.
4. Many site owners also register a Latin version (for example a transliteration) and redirect one to the other.

Managing the domain

In Domains → My Domains the domain may be listed in either form. All the normal options (nameservers, renewals, registrar lock, EPP code) work the same way as for any other domain.

Need help?

If you are unsure whether a name in your script can be registered, open a support ticket from your client area (choose the Support department and include your domain name), or message us on WhatsApp at 01818160926. We are happy to check your domain for you.