The Yukon Geographical Place Names Program manages naming and renaming geographical features. This includes lakes, rivers, creeks and mountains.
Yukoners can submit place names that reflect our diverse cultures, history and landscape.
Before you propose a name
Make sure the geographic feature is eligible. The Yukon Geographical Place Names Board can't name or rename:
- municipalities,
- transportation corridors (highways and bridges),
- parks (Submit proposals for national parks),
- territorial division, and
- other legal bodies that have been created by, or result from, legislation.
Names of rivers, lakes, creeks and other physical features are used for all parts of the feature. For example, you would not call the Yukon River one name at Whitehorse and another name at Dawson.
Geographical place names should be in good taste. The board will not accept discriminatory or derogatory names from the point of view of:
- race,
- sex,
- colour,
- creed, or
- political affiliation.
The Yukon Geographical Place Names Board approves the applications and recommends decisions to the Minister of Tourism and Culture. The complete guiding principles for assessing applications are on the board's website.
Apply to name or rename a geographical place
1. Complete the Yukon Geographical Place Name submission form.
2. Contact the Yukon toponymist to review your application. Email geographical.names@gov.yk.ca, or phone 867-667-3099 or toll free in Yukon: 1-800-661-0408, ext. 3099. They will:
- make sure you've included the correct spelling, (name spelling and accenting should follow the rules of the language in which they are written);
- corroborate the reasons for your place name request;
- establish the accurate geographic location; and
- ensure the place names’ meaning and cultural significance has been documented.
3. Submit your application
In person: 100 Hanson Street (second floor) in Whitehorse, Yukon. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Email: geographical.names@gov.yk.ca
Mail:
Government of Yukon
Geographical Place Names Program (L-1)
Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6
Application review process
1. The Yukon Toponymist reviews proposed geographic place names.
2. The Yukon Geographical Place Names Board approves the applications and recommends decisions to the Minister of Tourism and Culture.
The complete guiding principles for assessing applications are on the board's website. The board gives priority to names that have long-standing local usage, especially Indigenous names in the local native language.
For unnamed features, the board gives preference to names:
- from native languages;
- that describe the feature;
- associated with historical events; and
- of people who have made an important contribution to the area where the name is proposed.
Find geographical features and place names
In Yukon
GeoYukon provides a variety of digital mapping resources including imagery services and online map viewers.
See the Gazetteer of Yukon for a list of official and alternate geographical names in the territory.
In Canada
See the database of official Canadian geographical places names.