Registrar: A registrar is any company which allows users to register their own domain names.
These days, domain names can be registered on many different types of platforms. Some sites specialize in hosting and domain name registration only. The user would then be responsible for building the website. However, most of today's domain name sites today usually offer additional services in order to stay competitive. Some offer URL redirection, web design, online marketing, custom email addresses, and other services.
Even some social blogging sites allow for domain registration and site building. A good example of this is WordPress, which is widely used throughout the internet for blogs and businesses alike.
Some domain name registrations can be more expensive than others, especially if there may be competition for a particularly common word or phrase; these may go to auction and sell for thousands of dollars. One controversy in particular that pertains to domain names is the practice of domain name warehousing, in which companies hold onto domain names in order to make a profit later on.
Another issue surrounding domain name registration is cybersquatting, in which a person registers a domain name (especially a competitive one) without actually using it. While some domain name "parking" is done to claim a site for its future development, cybersquatters do this for more nefarious purposes, such as profiting off of another company's trademark.