Overview of Place Naming Guidelines

The NSW Geographic Names Board (GNB) set the process for the naming of new places and suburbs in their Place Naming Policy. They apply a set of universal naming principles to ensure that places are assigned names that are unique to the local area, culturally appropriate, and easy to communicate.

A brief summary of the GNB’s key criteria for new place names are as follows:

  • The use of traditional Aboriginal names is encouraged.
  • The use of local plant and animal species, and landscape and cultural features, is preferred.
  • Family names are generally not favoured.
  • Duplication of existing locality names is not permitted.
  • The addition of prefixes or suffixes to existing locality names is also not permitted (for example, the addition or “Heights” of “Downs”).

View the GNB Place Naming Policy in the 'Document Library on this web page.

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