Key:alt_name

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Public-images-osm logo.svg alt_name
Portville-princess.jpg
Description
Alternative name or names by which the feature is known in the local language; for names in other languages, use name:xy where xy is the ISO 639 language code; not to be confused with name:alt, which is for the name in the Altai language Show/edit corresponding data item.
Group: names
Used on these elements
may be used on nodesmay be used on waysmay be used on areas (and multipolygon relations)may be used on relations
Requires
Useful combination
Status: de facto

This tag can be used when a street, river or any other feature has another common name but there is some other alternative form.

Note that some alternative names fit better for other tags:

  • Name used primarily locally, or by other names in local dialects (for which a language code is not enough selective) then loc_name=* fits better
  • Shortened form of common name - short_name=* is superior.
  • official name that is not a commonly used name - official_name=*
  • Regionally used name - reg_name=*
  • Historical names - old_name=*
  • Multilingual names for names in a specific language

If none of that fits then alt_name=* can be used.

It can be used when has several alternative orthographies (possibly in other scripts) and even the orthography of the preferred name is uncertain.

alt_name=* is sometimes used to store multiple semicolon-separated names, but if possible it should be avoided by using other name tags listed above.

Examples

Multiple alternative names

Use a semicolon to separate multiple values:

  • name=Jomotsangkha and alt_name=Jomotshangkha;Jomot Shangha;Jomot Sangkha;Jomotshangka
Alt name in a specific language
name=兰海高速
name:en=Lanhai Expressway
alt_name=渭武高速
alt_name:en=Weiwu Expressway

Sources of alternative names

USA

There are many names available under a public domain license :

http://geonames.nga.mil/gns/html/

Name Types are:

  1. C = Conventional - English name in wide spread usage for a feature located in a area where English is not the official language;
  2. N = BGN Standard - Official local name for a feature;
  3. NS = BGN Standard in non-Roman script;
  4. D = Not verified - Name could not be verified from a recent local official source;
  5. DS = Not verified in non-Roman script;
  6. H = Historic;
  7. HS = Historic in non-Roman script;
  8. P = Provisional;
  9. PS = Provisional in non-Roman script;
  10. V = Variant or alternate - Former name, name in local usage, or other spellings found on various sources;
  11. VS = Variant or alternate in non-Roman script

Possible synonyms

If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
  • name:alt=* ‒ correct use of this tag is for a name in Southern Altai
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!