An Easy Way You Can Make It Into Wyoming’s History Books

Wyoming has many awesome natural features with cool names, like Old Faithful, Devils Tower, and Grand Teton.

If you've explored the state enough, you've likely seen things that doesn't seem to have a name and you think that it should. You could be the person to do just that.

Imagine being on a mountain hike in an area where few people travel and coming across a rock formation or waterfall that hasn't been named. Then, suddenly, you think of a name that would be perfect for your discovery.

It would be a shame for you to waste the perfect name for your new favorite natural feature. Luckily, there's a way that you can officially apply to give your discovery it's clever name through the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. 

READ MORE: How Devils Tower Lost The Apstrophe In It's Name. 

The BGN has the authority and responsibility of giving those cool natural features their name. This Federal department has been in business since the 1890s and is responsible for the name Devils Tower, which was named by them in in 1906.

If you would like to give your unnamed natural feature a name, there's a process you'll need to go through to get it done. Although, even if take the time and make the effort, it doesn't guarantee the name will become official.

The naming process isn't easy, either. You'll have to do your homework and have good reason why the name your proposing should be used.

Here is the information needed to submit a proposed name:

• Submit a full format of the geographical name being proposed
• Action requested (name an unnamed feature)
• Descriptive information
  • State and County
  • Location of feature
    • marked on map is prefered
    • coordinates
  • Detailed description including a photo
• Significance and meaning behind the proposed name.
• How you know the feature is unnamed.

To get started in the naming process, you can follow this link and get going. Good luck, and happy naming.