Naming places: The place for names

Have you noticed people debating about the logic and logistics of renaming the Gulf of Mexico into the Gulf of America? These discussions have made many people curious about how places get their official names. While you might think people just make up names for places whenever they want, or that names are permanent, there’s actually a careful system for doing it.

In the United States, a special government group called the Board on Geographic Names (or BGN for short) is in charge of naming places. They’ve been doing this important job since 1890, making sure everyone uses the same names for places on maps and in official papers. Other countries have similar groups, but they might do things a bit differently.

If you find a mountain, lake, or stream that doesn’t have a name yet, you can suggest one! It is not as simple as just picking a name, though. You’ll need to be patient and do some detective work first. Before suggesting a new name, you have to make sure the place really doesn’t have one already. Sometimes, local people have used a name for years, but it is not documented in official records. An example is a small body of water near Parks Highway and Big Lake Road behind the old Big Lake Baptist Church known locally by a few names. But it has no official name currently.

When you want to suggest a new name for a place, you need to do more than just fill out a simple form. You’ll need to tell the Board on Geographic Names exactly where the place is, explain why you chose the name, and share the story behind it. Think of it like writing a short story about why your name idea is perfect for that spot. The process usually takes a few months to complete.

The Board really likes names that mean something special to the area. Maybe the name comes from local history, tells us about the culture of the people who live there, or describes what the place looks like. For example, if you see a canyon with beautiful red rocks, calling it “Red Rock Canyon” makes perfect sense. Maybe the name comes from some homesteads, like how Cameron Cove in Lake Louise.

Trying to change a place’s name that already exists is even harder than giving a new name to an unnamed place. You need good reasons to convince the Board on Geographic Names to make a change. Maybe the current name is hurtful to some people, or perhaps historians have found proof that the place should have a different name.

Naming a geographic feature takes time and careful planning. Once you’re sure it’s unnamed or needs to be renamed, collect important documents that tell the story of the place and show where it’s located on a map. The next big step is getting your community to support your idea. You can do this by talking to local groups, city, or borough officials, and people who live in the area. When you have gathered all your documents and have support from the community, you can send your suggestion to the Board on Geographic Names.

For street names, your local government usually makes these decisions administratively. Elected councils or assemblies, or municipal officials, will take care of these names.

For public places like parks, fire stations, and schools, the decision usually involves the elected body having authority. There may be multiple meetings for input and comments before finalizing the name.

This does not apply to private buildings. Most of the time, the people or companies that own the buildings get to choose what to call them, as long as they follow the city’s rules about signs and addresses. That’s why you might see business names or family names on many buildings.

Geographic names tell important stories about our history. Sometimes names need to change as our society grows and changes. The process for naming places respects both our past and our present, making sure that the names on our maps continue to mean something special to the people who live there.

Christian M. Hartley is a 40-year Alaskan resident with over 25 years of public safety experience and public service. He runs a freelance business, Big Lake Writer, from home in Big Lake that he shares with his wife of 19 years and their three teenage sons.