NickServ allows users to register and effectively own nicks.
It has the ability to protect those nicknames from other
users who are not registered to use them. Registrations
expire if the owner does not use the nick in a 30 day period.

For more information on a command: /msg NickServ help command

Core Commands:
     REGISTER  - Register a nickname
     SET       - Change settings, including the KILL option
     ACCESS    - Change the list of authorized addresses
     IDENTIFY  - Authorize yourself using a password
     GHOST     - Terminate a ghosted nickname
     DROP      - Drop a registered nickname

Other Commands:
     INFO          ACC