Another common reason for place name proposals is to commemorate or honour a person or event associated with a specific place. When considering a proposal for a commemorative name, we apply the following guiding principles for commemorative naming:

• A proposed name will only be considered for persons posthumously (after the person has passed away); a minimum of five years must elapse from the date of death before a commemorative name will be considered. For events, at least 25 years must have elapsed since the occurrence of the event.
• A commemorative name will only be considered for subjects with a strong association with the area or geographical feature, or of high significance to the cultural legacy or development of the area or territory.
• A proposed name must be supported by local communities.
• A commemorative name will not be used to memorialize victims or mark the locations of accidents or tragedies.
• A commemorative name will not be considered for adoption if a well-established name already exists for the geographical feature, including official or unofficial traditional names for the feature.
• Ownership of land does not confer the right or entitlement to apply a commemorative name to a geographical feature. The use of commemorative names in publications, or in landscape dedications or markers, is no assurance that they will be adopted into official geographical names records.