Proposing Names for Geographic Features & Places in New Zealand & Offshore Islands

The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) can assign, alter, discontinue or approve names for geographic features and places in New Zealand and its inshore and offshore islands. Note that there are different requirements for proposing other types of names, such as undersea features.

On this page:

  1. What New Zealand features & places can be named?
  2. How the NZGB considers proposals
  3. How to make a proposal
  4. Privacy


What New Zealand geographic features & places can be named?

The following types of features and places can be named:

  • natural features, such as a mountain, peak, valley, glen, forest, lagoon, swamp, creek, stream, river, ford, lake, glacier or ice feature (including man-made features of the same type)
  • railways or railway stations (but not a railway feature such as a marshalling yard, transfer site or track point location)
  • cities, towns, villages, sites, areas or similar places
  • localities or suburbs.

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How the NZGB considers proposals

Proposals are considered following a defined process to ensure that the views of affected people and groups are taken into account. The general process of a successful proposal for a geographic feature or place name is:

  1. the person/group making the proposal undertakes research and consultation, then fills in a proposal form
  2. proposal received by the NZGB secretariat
  3. research, investigation and validation by the secretariat, plus consultation - if required
  4. the NZGB considers the proposal and weighs it against the naming rules
  5. if supported, the NZGB publicly notifies the proposed name and calls for submissions (Note: You can also make a submission to object to or support a proposal to assign, alter, discontinue or approve an official name.)
  6. submissions are collated
  7. the NZGB makes a decision to uphold or reject any objections
  8. if the objections are not upheld, then the Minister for Land Information makes final determination
  9. if the objections are upheld, or if there are no objections, then the NZGB makes the final determination
  10. the official name is published in the NZ Gazette, is publicly notified, and is entered into the New Zealand Gazetteer of Official Geographic Names.

Download a detailed flow-chart of the process for naming geographic features and places (pdf 144KB).

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How to make a proposal

Use the following steps to help prepare your proposal.

1. Check for existing names and recent decisions

All current official names are listed in the New Zealand Gazetteer of Official Geographic Names, you should check this list to determine whether your proposal already has an official name. Many features also have unofficial names - get help finding names.

Check the details of proposals that are currently, and have recently, been considered by the NZGB in consultation & decisions.

2. Fill in the proposal form

All proposals must be made on the official proposal form, which you can download and print. Use the RTF version if you would like to open in a word processor first. Use the PDF version if you would like to print the form first.

The Te Reo Māori versions of the above forms, online proposals and submissions are not available at this stage.

3. Provide supporting documentation

Provide as much information as possible to explain and support your proposed name.

It is especially important to clearly and unambiguously identify the location and extent of the feature or place that you are proposing a name for. This is best achieved by identifying the feature or place on a map with a defined scale. If possible, use of a LINZ topographic map is preferred. It is also important to include a coordinate or grid reference of the feature (get help understanding datums and projections.)

You also need to explain why your proposed name should be adopted for the particular feature or place. Useful information to provide could include documentary evidence of the history, origin, meaning and significance of both the name and feature. Note that the NZGB has certain rules around what features can be named, and what or who they can be named after - find out more about the NZGB's naming rules, criteria, standards, guidelines and policies . Other information such as research material, photographs and references can also be useful to the NZGB.

4. Consultation

Consultation is not mandatory prior to proposing a name, but it is encouraged by the NZGB. If you consult other people or groups about your proposal, be sure to include any documentary evidence of their support or views. Oral evidence or histories may also be important, particularly for Māori place names.

Groups that you may wish to consult with may include:

  • the local community
  • Department of Conservation
  • local Council
  • local Māori authorities to determine whether an original Māori name already exists for the feature or place.
  • historical societies
  • recreational organisations.

5. Send proposal to the NZGB

Post or email proposals to the address in contact the NZGB. Note that proposals and supporting material provided to the NZGB will not be returned.

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Privacy

Once the NZGB has received a proposal it becomes a public record. If the NZGB publishes information about the proposal, it will generally omit names of private individuals to protect their privacy. However, the NZGB may be required to release all information including all correspondence under the Official Information Act 1982 or other legislation.

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