# Basenames support for ENSIP-19

By [Katzman](https://paragraph.com/@katzman.base) · 2025-06-12

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Background about Primary Names
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     [“Primary names”](https://support.ens.domains/en/articles/7890756-the-primary-name) are a cornerstone of the ENS protocol. They allow any client or third party app to use the address of a connected account to reverse-lookup the name associated with that account. This is the mechanism that allows a user to look like they’re logged in as \`jesse.base.eth\` in the wallet pip in-app instead of appearing as a \`0x…\` address.

Today, Basenames natively supports primary names but with some caveats:

*   When Basenames launched there wasn’t an ENS-sanctioned way to achieve L2 primary names. The only supported path to primary name setting required a transaction on mainnet against the ENS ReverseRegistrar.
    
*   Apps that want to support Basenames primary names have to use a Basenames-specific lookup, supported most commonly by our [onchainkit snippet](https://docs.base.org/builderkits/onchainkit/guides/use-basename-in-onchain-app).
    

     What this means is that apps that don’t specifically integrate with the Basenames reverse resolver are unable to do reverse resolutions for our users’ addresses. Additionally, if a user wants to take their Basename identity to other chains like mainnet or Optimism, their Basename can’t follow them.

Enter ENSIP-19
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     In close collaboration with the Basenames team, ENS has refined and produced a [formal specification](https://docs.ens.domains/ensip/19/) for supporting L2 primary names. When ENS launches their contracts and offchain infrastructure, the Basenames protocol will enable end-to-end L2 primary names. Once fully supported, we get the following benefits for all Basename users:

*   Primary name resolution on ALL apps using modern webapp clients like viem, not just ones that integrate directly with Basenames via onchainkit
    
*   Basenames can serve as primary names for many networks, not just Base
    

Wen?
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     Soon. Just this week Spearbit completed a [formal audit](https://cantina.xyz/portfolio/6af1e2fd-b4b4-4750-b6eb-04ed540d11df) of two new Basenames contracts that will enable seamless migration to a fully compliant ENSIP-19 system. Though this is a significant milestone, there’s still lots of work to do on our front-ends and backend services. Stay tuned… and in the meantime, stay based.

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*Originally published on [Katzman](https://paragraph.com/@katzman.base/basenames-support-for-ensip-19)*