---
title: groupOfNames
description: Note The default schema defines groupOfNames as if it were groupOfEntries, making it possible to have an empty group. This is a deviation from the standard definition, as proposed in the LDAP groupOfEntries Internet-Draft.
component: pingds
version: 8.1
page_id: pingds:schemaref:oc-groupOfNames
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/schemaref/oc-groupOfNames.html
---

# groupOfNames

**Note** The default schema defines `groupOfNames` as if it were `groupOfEntries`, making it possible to have an empty group. This is a deviation from the standard definition, as proposed in the *LDAP groupOfEntries* Internet-Draft.

Use this object class **only for group entries**. Directory servers cache group entries based on their object class; adding this object class to non-group entries fills the group cache with spurious entries. This hurts overall group-related performance and performance for the non-group entries incorrectly identified as groups.

|                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| *OID*                 | 2.5.6.9                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| *Names*               | groupOfNames                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| *Superior classes*    | [top](oc-top.html)                                                                                                                                                                               |
| *Class type*          | STRUCTURAL: for structural specification of the DIT. Entries have only one structural object class superclass chain.                                                                             |
| *Required attributes* | [cn](at-cn.html), [objectClass](at-objectClass.html)                                                                                                                                             |
| *Optional attributes* | [businessCategory](at-businessCategory.html), [description](at-description.html), [member](at-member.html), [o](at-o.html), [ou](at-ou.html), [owner](at-owner.html), [seeAlso](at-seeAlso.html) |
| *Origin*              | [RFC 4519](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc4519)                                                                                                                                        |
| *Schema file*         | 00-core.ldif                                                                                                                                                                                     |