Claiming an unused dormant WordPress domain name

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  comtedescierges · Member · Oct 28, 2013 at 11:30 am

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  I have seen a WordPress domain that I would really like to use (ttp://cars.wordpress.com/), but sadly it appears someone else has registered it then forgotten about it, leaving it dormant for 8 years.

  After what period of time will an unused domain become available to the public again and how can I either claim it or register my interest?

  I look forward to hearing from you and really appreciate your help in this matter.

  Sam

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  staff-doublebassd · Staff · Oct 28, 2013 at 4:26 pm

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  Hi there –

  Unfortunately, WordPress.com domain names are not recycled. Once deleted, neither the original owner nor anyone else can claim the address again.

  I would suggest registering a blog with a similar name or you can purchase a domain mapping upgrade and deletewordpress.com altogether.

  References: http://en.support.wordpress.com/recycling-blog-names/
  http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/delete-blog/

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  comtedescierges · Member · Oct 28, 2013 at 11:34 pm

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  Thanks for the information, but such a shame about this as there appear to be so many WordPress domains permanently dormant.

  Surely about time WordPress considered putting in a policy to recycle domain in cases where they have remained out of use for extended periods of time.

  Maybe something for future discussion as would no doubt free up wasted server storage and bandwidth?

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  auxclass · Member · Oct 29, 2013 at 12:01 am

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  Some people put sites here because the site is forever, some history sites, when the people loose interest or put as much as they know about a subject, would be a shame to blow their work away just because you want a name.

  I have also helped people up memorial sites, for friends or for themselves when they had a terminal illness and wanted to leave something for their friends, bad enough to loose a friend, but to loose the memory also

  shame on you

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  comtedescierges · Member · Oct 29, 2013 at 12:10 am

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  @ auxclass …in that case there is some content of them but I was actually referring to sites like this http://cars.wordpress.com/ for which there has never been any content on whatsoever amongst countless others

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  1tess · Moderator Emeritus · Oct 29, 2013 at 12:13 am

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  Also note that some accounts / names may appear to be empty or simply reserved and unused, but they could well be there in order to use JetPack, or to read private blogs, both valid reasons for having what seems to be an unused account.

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  auxclass · Member · Oct 29, 2013 at 1:03 am

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  In addition to @tess’s reasons, some people start a blog and life happens so the blog gets put off, I helped a friend start a blog – he was going to put political rants on it, and an ill parent and growing child sort of got in the way.