BC Geographical Names Office

The BC Geographical Names Office (BCGNO) is a part of the Heritage Branch, within the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The BCGNO has delegated authority under the Land Act to manage the official names of geographical features throughout British Columbia. Geographical features include landforms, waterways, and unincorporated communities, such as mountains, islands, lakes, rivers, bays and localities.

Content Advisory: Some place names and name records in the BC Geographical Names Web App contain historical terminology that may be considered racist, offensive, or derogatory. The BC Geographical Names Office is actively working to address these concerns, and this process is ongoing.

For millennia, First Nations in British Columbia have named the lands and waters in accordance with their naming conventions. Their names often highlight the significance of place, such as important resources available, historical events that occurred, transportation routes, or cultural activities practiced in the area.

• p̓aq̓iʔaǰɩm [pronounced: pah-kee-ah-jim] is an ʔayʔaǰuθəm name that means "place of many maple trees".
• x̱enichen is a shishalh name that means “go to the end until you can’t go any further” referring to the northern extent of the shíshálh swiya.
• A X̲eegí Deiyí Shaa [pronounced: A-HEE-gi DAY-yi Shaa] is a Tlingit name and means “Shoulder trail mountain,” named for a historic Taku River Tlingit trail in the shape of a shoulder bone.
• Gingolx [pronounced: gin GOLch] is a Nisg̲a’a name that originates from a historic battle.
• Hucuktlis Lake [pronounced: who chook-tlis] is a Nuu-chah-nulth name that means “place way inside" in the sense of a protected area.
• Tŝ'ilʔoŝ [pronounced: Tsyle-oss] is a Tŝilhqot’in name and was the name of man who was turned into a mountain as punishment for separating from his partner.

Names serve as significant tools for passing down important knowledge from generation-to-generation. Learning First Nations names and where they come from can help everyone better understand the deep history and original languages of what we now call British Columbia.

B.C. is home to 35 Indigenous languages and over 90 dialects from several different Nations with overlapping territories. It is the most linguistically diverse province in Canada. Across the world, regions with diverse languages and cultures often have multiple names for geographical features; similarly, in British Columbia, many places have two or more names in distinct First Nations languages.

First Nations names were well-established long before European contact but were mostly disregarded and overwritten during colonization and throughout the history of official naming. Canada also implemented several colonial policies intended to disrupt Indigenous cultures and the transmission of Indigenous knowledge, which has impacted the retention of some First Nations names.

The Province is now committed to working with First Nations governments and organizations to better recognize their naming conventions, languages, and writing systems. This work supports the revitalization of First Nations histories, languages, and cultures that have been adversely impacted by colonialism. Indigenous peoples' right to name places is specifically mentioned in Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

To help everyone learn First Nations names, pronunciation tools (audio and/or simple text keys) are available on the BC Geographical Names Web App. Name records may also contain details on the origin or significance of the name and place in the Origin Notes and History section. Refer to the Indigenous Tag and BC Geographical Names Web App sections for more information on finding names on our app.

Explore these other resources to learn more about First Nations and Indigenous Place Names.

• Stories from the Land: Indigenous Place Names in Canada
• In the Language of These Lands
• Indigenous Place Names
• An Indigenous Place Names Handbook
• First Peoples' Cultural Council

Indigenous place names have existed for thousands of years, reflecting deep connections to land, water, and community. Colonial mapping practices often disregarded these names, replacing them with new colonial names or interpretations of First Nations names that did not always reflect their original meaning. The Indigenous tag is for all place names, official and recorded, in the BC Geographical Names Information System (BCGNIS) with origins from any Indigenous language (words, terms, place names) or connection to Indigenous people or histories. 

Most names with the Indigenous tag come from First Nations languages spoken in B.C. long before European exploration and colonialism. There are also some names with this tag that derive from other Indigenous languages, cultures, or people; for instance, Skookumchuck Narrows is derived from Chinook Jargon, and Calliou Creek commemorates a Metis person.

Indigenous tagged names can be found in the BC Geographical Names Web App, by using the Tagged Place Names search and selecting "Indigenous". You can filter search results in the Web App by selecting "More options". To see tagged names in a specific area, you can select the "Limit to current map area" checkbox, under "More options", to limit results to the map area, or use location-based searches (Near me, Near a point, In the current map area) and then filter results by tag. The dataset of the names with this tag is also available on the BC Data Catalogue.

Many other geographical names in BCGNIS likely have Indigenous origins, but they may not have been tagged due to gaps in historical records. There are also countless First Nations names in B.C. that are not in the BCGNIS. 

The BC Geographical Names Office (BCGNO) has delegated authority under the Land Act to manage the official names of geographical features in British Columbia. These official names appear on provincial and federal maps and charts, in official datasets, and can be searched through the BC Geographical Names Web App. The BCGNO ensures that naming decisions are accurate, culturally respectful, and reflective of the province’s diverse histories and values.

Official names may change over time for several reasons: to better reflect community values, to adopt respectful naming practices, to recognize Indigenous names that have existed for millennia, or to respond to environmental changes. Recognizing Indigenous place names is part of B.C.’s commitment to reconciliation and the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), which aligns with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The BCGNO also has “recorded names” in the British Columbia Geographical Names Information System (BCGNIS). This category is used to recognize the historical or cultural significance of names that are not official, including all previously official names. Because these names are not official, they are not labelled on provincial maps and charts; however, they still have distinct name records that describe their origin and history. Recorded names can be a valuable tool that provides insight into a full history of a place.

How Official Naming Works

The BCGNO does not initiate new names or name changes. A formal proposal to add, change, or rescind a name that complies with B.C. Geographical Naming Policy (the Policy) must be submitted before any changes can be considered.

Proposing an Official Name

A proposal to change a place name must include the following information: 

• Contact information for proponent submitting the proposal
• Proposed Place Name 
• Current Official Name, if applicable 
• Feature Type
• Geographical coordinates of the feature, such as longitude and latitude at the feature's mid-point, stream mouth, and stream headwaters (as appropriate)
• Geographical extent of the feature (e.g. 'name applies to the entire mountain' or 'name applies to a specific peak on the mountain')
• Meaning or significance of the proposed name 
• Reason for name or name change 
• Pronunciation tools, such as audio and phonetic spelling
• Images of the feature 
• Description of all research undertaken, including letters of support from local governments, First Nations governments and relevant organizations, including their contact information

Proposals can be submitted in any format.

Once the proposal has been reviewed and determined to align with the Policy, the BCGNO will begin planning the community comment period. This preparation may take several weeks and includes identify governments and organization to invite for feedback, drafting project communications, reviewing historical records, and completing data entry.

Following this, the BCGNO initiates a public engagement process. During this period, which may take six months or more, First Nations, local governments, and organizations that may be affected by a proposed name change, such as search and rescue groups, are invited to provide comments. Governments and organizations respond on behalf of their constituents, communities, or members.

After the comment period closes, the BCGNO reviews all feedback and evaluates the proposal in the context of the Policy. This process can take several weeks or months, depending on the complexity and volume of comments.

When an official naming decision is made, the name record in the BCGNIS is updated. Records of all previous official names are kept, but only the current official name is published on provincial maps and charts and in official name datasets. A robust notification process follows to ensure awareness, and official maps and datasets are updated accordingly.

Adding Recorded Names

Recording a name is more than preservation - it’s about making diverse histories and cultures accessible.

Unlike proposing a formal name change, recording a name is a simplified process. Recorded names are historically or culturally significant but not official, meaning they do not appear on provincial or federal maps and do not require community engagement. Because this process does not involve government or organizational input, recorded names can be added to the system much faster.

To submit a recorded name to the BC Geographical Names Information System (BCGNIS) and the BC Geographical Names Web App, the BCGNO requests the same information outlined in the “Proposing an Official Name” section

This section is intended for developers, researchers, programmers and other users, and includes information on data formats and how to extract the data.