This page contains links to a representative for each of the recognized state geographic names authorities in the United States, including two U.S. Territories.  These boards, committees, and advisers cooperate with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in the national standardization process.  In states with no official board or committee an adviser has agreed to provide expertise and information about names in their state to assist in the standardization process.  In addition, here are links to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the Geographical Names Board of Canada, and to the American Name Society.


Many states have official geographic names boards while other states have only an expert adviser assigned or voluntarily reviewing name proposals for their states.  One mission of CoGNA is to encourage all state governments to take an active role in the geographic name decision process by maintaining their own name authorities who, in turn, recommend names to the federal board using official naming and policies.  In addition, CoGNA encourages use of the official names in GNIS at all levels of government and the public.  CoGNA recommends that State names authorities promote throughout state government and the citizenry an awareness of the importance of and procedures for geographic name standardization.

STATE GEOGRAPHIC NAMES AUTHORITIES