Decolonizing Place Names

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is a Federal body created in 1890 and established in its present form by Public Law in 1947 to maintain uniform geographic name usage throughout the Federal Government. The BGN comprises representatives of Federal agencies concerned with geographic information, population, ecology, and management of public lands.

Listed here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions received by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) regarding the domestic geographic names proposal process.

The Committee on Geographic Names was created by the Washington Legislature (RCW 43.30.292) to review proposals submitted by the public to name geographical features located in the state, and make recommendations to the Board on Geographic Names for proposals approved by the Committee.