After conducting extensive market research and spending more than $300,000 in private funding, the proposal was made to change the former name of The Seattle Public Library to the new and improved name: Seattle Public Libraries. The suggested change involved changing the word-final “y” to “ies”…oh and the “The” was to be dropped as well. In light of the fact that implementing this re-branding would cost several hundred thousand more, many Seattleites reacted less than enthusiastically to the proposed name change. After much deliberation, the Library’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously against the proposed re-branding.

In a historic decision that many Native American and women’s activists are calling long overdue, New York lawmakers have voted to finally put an end to the place name “Squaw Island.”

Originally called “Divided Island” or “Deyowenoguhdoh” by the indigenous nation of the Senecas in homage to a creek that transects the land, the island was re-named by French explorers in the 17th century. In place of the now pejorative moniker, the Island will now be called “Unity Island” of Ga’nigo:i:yoh, a name which government officials and tribal leaders agree reflects the spirit of mutual respect that now typifies the modern community’s shared core values.

For more information, see this article and this article.

What do you call a grey-green moth that weighs less than on ounce, measures approximately an inch in length, and frequents the White Sands National Park in New Mexico? That was the question which entomologist, Eric Metzler, asked the general public this past October.

In a novel attempt to raise funds for the Western National Parks Association (WNPA), Metzler generously auctioned off the right to name his newly discovered species to the highest eBay bidder and donated the proceeds to the WNPA. According to eBay, the auction ended on the 23rd of October with the winning bid reaching an astounding $12,600.

We don’t know the name yet. It can take as long as year for the Latinized name to be officially registered by the Commission of Zoological Nomenclature. Stay tuned.

For more information, see this article and this article.

A recently Clutch study found that new companies are increasingly inventing new names. This is fueled in part by the want for a dot-com domain name. Additionally, an invented name isn’t restricted by the meaning of existing words. This can allow more freedom to create a memorable brand.

On the 22nd of February 2016, the monthly meeting of the St. Mary’s County Genealogical Society will be devoted to the subject of onomasiology, the study of the origin, history, and use of proper names. The meeting will discuss the research techniques used when dealing with proper names. Members of the public are welcomed to attend.