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Place Names

Place names (or toponyms) are used to identify and differentiate geographic features, both human-made (e.g., countries, cities, streets) and physically based (e.g., mountains, lakes, rivers). Toponyms are systems of spatial reference and symbolic expression. They are one of the most fundamental ways in which people claim, categorize, and attach significance to places. Traditionally, geographers have classified and mapped names as cultural artifacts; however, newer research emphasizes the cultural politics of place naming.

Place Name as Spatial Reference

Place names facilitate the identification and physical navigation of the landscape, using a single word or series of words to distinguish one place from another. As part of the larger structure of language, toponyms permeate our daily vocabulary, both verbal and visual. They are found on road signs, advertising billboards, addresses, and (of course) maps. Place names are critical to the use of nearly any kind of map, contributing to geographic knowledge and the development of a sense of place.

Although names are important points of reference, misunderstanding can result from conflicts in their use and spelling. The same name sometimes is applied to different places, and a place may have more than one name. Seeking greater uniformity in naming, particularly in light of growing electronic data demands, applied human geographers have worked to standardize the toponyms on maps and other publications. They have also established administrative procedures for dealing with new place names, name changes, and naming controversies.

Several countries, including the United States, have set up boards to review and rule on place name issues. The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) assists in exchanging the results of these national efforts and promoting the benefits of international name standardization. Despite technical justifications for standardization, the process can lead to public disputes as authorities try to choose a single name for a feature.

Place Name as Symbol

Place names are also symbols to which people attach meaning and from which they draw identity. Names evoke powerful images and connotations, as became evident in Fayetteville, North Carolina, when residents along Anthrax Street demanded a name change. The street name had existed for several years but was reinterpreted in light of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and bioterrorism fears. Its new name, Allegiance Avenue, offers a more patriotic association. The image-generating power of toponyms has long played a role in place promotion, from the intentional misnaming of Greenland to the more contemporary practice of crafting idyllic-sounding monikers for subdivisions and apartment complexes.

Humans apply place names to create a sense of order and familiarity, frequently choosing names that reflect and project their cultural point of view. Even when time has erased other evidence, toponyms can provide insight into people's religious beliefs, ethnic origins, history, environmental perceptions, and political values. Interpreting such names requires reading their many layers of meaning. In 1916, the Canadian town of Berlin, Ontario, changed its name to Kitchener, honoring the British secretary of war who died at the beginning of World War I. On one level, the naming reflected Canada's support of the Allied effort and the strengthening of its ties with England. On another level, it symbolized a nativist rewriting of the landscape and an anti-German hysteria sweeping across Canada.

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