In response to an increased demand for domain names, ICANN started accepting applications for new gTLDs which would expand the availability of names and create an entirely new look and feel for the Internet, according to MSN.

ICANN said it received about 2,000 requests for names. New names could range from cities to businesses, and instead of .com or .net, users could see endings such as .Apple or .Paris, according to MSN.

Because of the expansion of the Internet in Asia, for the first time ever ICANN will accept names that don’t use the Latin alphabet.

The American Bankers Association (ABA) and The Financial Services Roundtable announced today that they have applied for the names .bank and .insurance to protect consumers by creating financial domains with higher security that would assure customers that they are using a legitimate financial website.

“The industry has applied for .bank and .insurance to provide the highest security for the millions of customers conducting banking and insurance activities online and to ensure the safety and soundness of the industry,” said Craig Schwartz, head of operations for the ABA and Roundtable effort, in a press release.