Summer services update
A proposal can be made online, or you can download and fill in a hard copy form.
Propose a place name in New Zealand and its offshore islands
Before you start filling in the proposal form, please read the Standard for New Zealand place names to make sure that your proposal meets good place naming practice.
Standard for New Zealand place names
You can make a proposal to:
- Give a new name to a place or feature in New Zealand or in its offshore islands, that is not currently named
(see the New Zealand Gazetteer), or - Change or correct an existing place or feature name. This could be a complete change or a correction to an existing name or its location. If a place or feature no longer exist, you can also propose that the name be removed.
Research and consultation
There are many sources to help with research, for example, public libraries, old charts and maps, manuscripts, oral histories, iwi/Māori, the internet, etc. See Researching place names for research sources.
We encourage you to consult with the appropriate iwi/hapū/marae, local communities, councils, and any other interested parties.
Consulting with Māori when making a place name proposal
It is important that you attach evidence of the outcome of your consultation.
The proposal form
Your contact details
Please provide your name and how we can get in touch with you.
What do you want to propose?
Tick the appropriate box and add the name you are proposing. If the place or feature already has a name, including any locally used names, please add it.
What type of place or feature is it?
What type of feature is being named, for example, bay, maunga, glacier, area. See New Zealand Geographic Features for images and descriptions of place and feature types.
New Zealand Geographic Features
What are the reasons for your proposal?
This should indicate the importance of naming the place or feature from the perspective of discovery, commemorating events, honouring people with a connection to the place or feature, navigation, emergency response, etc.
Supporting information
Please provide as much information as possible to explain and support your proposal. Please complete the checklist of supporting information to indicate what you have included with your proposal.