WHOIS Lookup Explained: What It Tells You About Any Domain

What Is a WHOIS Lookup?

WHOIS is a public database that stores information about registered domain names. When you perform a WHOIS lookup, you can find out who registered a domain, when it was registered, when it expires, and which registrar manages it.

Think of it as a phone book for domain names. Every registered domain has a WHOIS record.

What Information Does WHOIS Provide?

A typical WHOIS record includes:

• Registrant name and organization — Who owns the domain
• Registration date — When it was first registered
• Expiration date — When the registration lapses
• Registrar — The company managing the registration (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
• Name servers — Where the domain's DNS is hosted
• Status codes — Whether the domain is active, locked, or pending transfer
• Contact information — Admin, technical, and billing contacts

Privacy Protection and WHOIS

Since GDPR went into effect, many WHOIS records hide personal information behind privacy services. Instead of the registrant's name and email, you'll see:

• "REDACTED FOR PRIVACY"
• A proxy email from the registrar
• A privacy service organization name

This is standard and legal. Most domain registrars include free WHOIS privacy with registration.

How to Use WHOIS for Brand Research

Check If a Domain Is Available

Before trying to register a domain, a WHOIS lookup tells you if it's taken and, if so, who owns it. This is faster than attempting to buy it through a registrar.

Find Out When a Domain Expires

If your ideal .com is taken but the website is inactive, check the expiration date. You might be able to acquire it when registration lapses. Set a reminder for the expiration date and use a domain backordering service.

Research Domain History

WHOIS history tools show past ownership. If you're buying a domain, check its history to ensure it wasn't previously used for spam or malicious content — this can affect your SEO.

Contact the Owner

If a domain is taken but you want it, the WHOIS record may include contact information. Even with privacy protection, many registrars offer a forwarding service that relays your message to the owner.

WHOIS Status Codes Decoded

Status codes tell you about a domain's current state:

• clientTransferProhibited — Transfer locked (normal)
• clientDeleteProhibited — Can't be deleted (protective measure)
• redemptionPeriod — Recently expired, owner has a grace period to renew
• pendingDelete — About to be released for public registration
• serverHold — Registrar has suspended the domain

Understanding these codes helps you assess whether a domain might become available.

WHOIS Lookup Tools

Several free tools let you perform WHOIS lookups:

• ICANN Lookup (lookup.icann.org) — The official tool
• Registrar tools — Most registrars offer WHOIS search
• Third-party tools — DomainTools, Whois.net, Who.is

For brand research, you'll often want to check multiple domains at once. BrandScout lets you check domain availability alongside social media and other brand assets in a single search.

WHOIS for Brand Protection

Once you own a domain, WHOIS can help protect your brand:

• Monitor similar domains — Set alerts for domains registered with your brand name
• Identify squatters — Find who registered variations of your brand
• Dispute resolution — WHOIS data is used in UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) proceedings

RDAP: The Future of WHOIS

WHOIS is gradually being replaced by RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol). RDAP provides:

• Structured, machine-readable data
• Better internationalization support
• Standardized access controls
• HTTPS-based lookups

For end users, the functionality is similar. You'll still get the same registration information through RDAP-based tools.

Common WHOIS Misconceptions

• "WHOIS shows who really owns a domain" — Not always. Privacy services and proxy registrations mask true ownership.
• "If WHOIS shows no owner, the domain is available" — Not necessarily. Some TLDs don't publish full WHOIS data.
• "WHOIS data is always accurate" — Registrants self-report information, though registrars can suspend domains with obviously fake data.

Your Quick WHOIS Checklist

When researching a domain name for your brand:

1. Look up the WHOIS record
2. Check registration and expiration dates
3. Note the registrar (for potential acquisition)
4. Check for privacy protection (indicates an active owner)
5. Review status codes for availability signals
6. Check domain history for red flags

For comprehensive brand name availability checks beyond just WHOIS, use BrandScout to verify domains, social handles, and more simultaneously.