Key:alt_name - OpenStreetMap Wiki

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

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