Geographic Names Program

  • Ulukhaktok

    Sarah Bannon/GNWT (2011)

    Geographic Names
  • Blanchet Island

    Sarah Bannon/GNWT (2009)

    Geographic Names
  • Yellowknife Waterfront

    Tom Andrews/GNWT (1999)

    Geographic Names
  • Ibyuk Pingo

    NWT Archives/PW&S/G-1995-001: 7485

    Geographic Names

The mandate of the Geographic Names Program is to gather, preserve and disseminate information on the traditional, current and historic names for geographic features and populated places throughout the Northwest Territories. Information is gathered through a combination of field, archives and library research. Names are preserved in the NWT Geographic Names Database, the records of the Geographic Names Program and through the official approval process.

There are over 4000 official geographic names in the Northwest Territories. If you are interested in information about specific NWT Geographic Place Names please consult the links below.

Proposing new geographic names

Please consult the following guides if you would like propose a new geographic name for a geographic feature or place in the Northwest Territories.

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Community Name Change Process | Processus de changement de nom d’une collectivité

Download 27.97 KB 3247 downloads | téléchargements
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Geographical Names Step-by-Step | Gestion des toponymes étape par étape

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  • Gazetteer of the Northwest Territories

    The gazetteer is the list of all the official geographic place names in the Northwest Territories. It provides official spelling, location and origin information for each name. Last updated in January 2017.

  • A Place of Honour

    Over the last seventy years, Canada has notified 316 place names in the Northwest Territories to commemorate Second World War casualties. You can find them here.

  • Search for Franklin Place Names

    In Sir John Franklin’s first overland travels, and the subsequent searches for his lost 1845 expedition, hundreds of place names were given to geographic features in the Northwest Territories. You can find these here.