An ongoing discussion on Twitter unveiled some interesting news: NameCheap, the world’s second biggest domain registrar, might be rebranding as Spaceship.
The matching domain name, Spaceship.com, has been secured. Interestingly, there are two existing trademark registrations and one pending application at the USPTO.
Here’s what we found:
- Registration of the mark SPACESHIP, dated 2019:
Domain name registrar and registration services, namely, registration of domain names for identification of users on a global computer network, and leasing of internet domain names.- Registration of the mark SPACESHIP, dated 2020:
Domain name register operator services; domain name search services, namely, conducting online computerized searches for the availability of domain names; computer services, namely, domain forwarding services, cloud hosting provider services, redirecting electronic mail to changed personal electronic address; online computer services, namely, providing spam filtering services to protect websites and online applications from receiving unsolicited messages; parking domain names for others, namely, providing computer servers for electronic storage of domain name addresses; and rental of space in a computer co-location facility for containerized data centers of others.- Application for the registration of SPACESHIP, an “intent to use” application dated 2021:
Computer technology support services, namely, help desk services.
Based on the existing registered marks, NameCheap is entitled to use the registered mark symbol “®” along with its SPACESHIP brand. But the latest push for Spaceship is not a plain “domain rebranding” instance, apparently.
Spaceship.com, an active project by NameCheap
Richard Kirkendall, founder and CEO of NameCheap, quipped on Twitter:
“This is much more than changing the brand or “lipstick on a pig” as they say. We’ve built and re-imagined everything from the ground up.”
The discussion revealed yet another element of upcoming products, as NameCheap is planning to roll out its own DLS for domain names.
In recent weeks, online exchanges have unveiled that GoDaddy and NameCheap are reconsidering their partnership as DLS aftermarket partners.
thanks for the info, I manage to grab a .com with $2.98 at spaceship. Is a good deal