Mapping Place Names

This paper demonstrates how to leverage the GeoNames data for seeking patterns in toponymic data using the software package ‘toponym’, which we wrote for the R computational environment. After discussing a distinction between particularistic and pattern-seeking approaches to toponymics, we go on to characterize the data of GeoNames, which are particularly appropriate for the latter type of approach. Then, we present two cases studies. The first case study is on Xincan place names in Guatemala, and the second is on Slavic place names in eastern Germany. These explorations support our hypothesis that toponymics may benefit from new computational tools.