Reserved Names
Some names are set aside at launch so that brands, projects, legally protected terms, and community handles cannot be sniped by squatters. Reserved names are surfaced by the web app with a Reserved status and require an unlock code to claim.
Categories
| Category | What it means | Can be claimed? |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | A company, product, or wallet brand (zcash, zingo, zashi…) | With the correct unlock code, usually issued to the brand holder |
| Protocol | Protocol-level terms (zip, orchard, sapling…) | With the correct unlock code |
| Community | Well-known community handles or contributors | With the correct unlock code |
| Offensive | Slurs, impersonation, abusive terms | Never - permanently blocked |
Once the rightful party claims a reserved name, the block lifts and the name behaves like any other registration.
How unlock codes work
An unlock code is a fixed 12-character fingerprint in the form XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. You don’t choose it; the maintainers issue it to you. Brand owners get a code after verifying control of the brand; community handles get a code after coordinating with the maintainer.
If you think a reserved name should be released to you, contact the maintainers via Discord or by opening an issue on the directory repo .
For the HMAC derivation and the database shape, see Reserved Names (protocol).
Claiming a reserved name
- Search for the name. It will show as Reserved.
- Enter the unlock code you were given (
XXXX-XXXX-XXXX). - Enter your Zcash unified address.
- Complete the normal claim flow - send the ZIP-321 transaction with the claim-cost amount.
The web app verifies the unlock code server-side before issuing the signed CLAIM memo. The unlock code is not part of the on-chain memo - it is strictly a gate on the web UI’s signing service.
What if I claim a reserved name directly via the memo protocol?
You would need the admin’s signature over the CLAIM:{name}:{address} pre-image, which is what the unlock code gates access to. Without the signature the indexer will reject the memo. Reserved status is therefore an honor-system policy layered on top of the protocol, enforced by the entity that holds the admin key.
Blocked names
Names in the offensive category can never be claimed, not even with an unlock code. The web app refuses them and the signing service will not produce a signature for them. This is the one explicit exception to the otherwise first-come-first-served model.
Next
- Claiming a Name - the normal claim flow.
- Reserved Names (protocol) - the HMAC spec and database shape.