Back to The Place-Name Graph
GNIS DOCKET #1414314
USGS GNIS & U.S. BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES (BGN)
The Place-Name Authority Graph
Every place name on a federal map is a sovereign political decision. Explore how Indigenous toponyms, botanical indicators, and renaming disputes are docketed in the national gazetteer.
4 Curated Toponymic Case Studies
GNIS TOPONYMIC TREEFEATURE ID: #1414314
CANONICAL MODERN NAME
Denali
Feature Class: Summit · Denali Borough, Alaska
ANCESTRAL INDIGENOUS TOPONYM
Denali (English form derived from Koyukon deenaalee; other Alaska Native languages have distinct names)
FORMER / SUPERSEDED NAMES
Denali (federal usage, 2015–2025; remains an Alaska-recognized and Koyukon-derived name)
HISTORICAL VARIANTS & SPELLINGS
Mount McKinleyBolshaya GoraDensmore's PeakMount Churchill
BGN OFFICIAL DOCKET HISTORYDECISION YEAR: 2015
This dossier’s 2015 date identifies the historical federal recognition of Denali under Secretary’s Order 3337. That order is superseded: Order 3424, dated 14 February 2025, reinstates Mount McKinley for federal use and retains Denali National Park and Preserve. Alaska recognized Denali in 1975 and its 2025 resolution supports retaining that name. These are institutional records alongside a longer language history; see A Name Is a Layer for the dated comparison and community source.
OFFICIAL STATUTORY CITATION
View Official Federal BGN Register / DOI Document