a secondary consideration in naming; the primary concern is to provide effective, conveniently 
usable, and appropriate reference. 
(1) The name of the ship that discovered the feature may be used. If that name has been 
previously used for a similar feature, then the name of the ship that verified the feature 
may be used. 
(2) Names of individuals may include: 
a. Persons associated with the discovery and recognition of a feature including the cap- 
tain of the ship, expedition leaders or survey party chiefs, and those in charge at the 
time of discovery and recognition. 
b. Persons specifically involved in the interpretation of data leading to the recognition of 
the unique character of a feature. 
c. Persons who have made important contributions to knowledge of the oceans, e.g., 
Maury Seachannel, Ewing Seamount. 
d. Persons who are prominent in the history of a nation. 
D. It is permissible to name groups of features after specific categories of historic individu- 
als, mythical figures, constellations, fish, birds, animals, etc. Examples are: 
Mathematicians Seamounts: Archimedes Seamount, Euclid Seamount, Gauss Seamount 
Musicians Seamounts: BachSeamount, Brahms Seamount, Schubert Seamount 
E. Descriptive names will be acceptable if not duplicated, particularly when they refer to distin- 
guishing characteristics, e.g., Hook Ridge, Horseshoe Seamounts. 
F. Names considered inappropriate include: 
(1) Names applied to similar features elsewhere. 
(2) Full names or unwieldy titles of individuals, institutions or organizations. 
(3) Names of commercial products or their manufacturers. 
(4) Names of individuals proposed because of relationship or friendship with the proponent. 
7. Names that have been in use for many years may be accepted even though they do not coincide 
with the above policy. 
The following generic terms and definitions are currently used by the BGN. Since earlier editions of 
this gazetteer, some terms and definitions have been changed to.reflect new developments in undersea 
exploration and mapping. A comparison with terms and definitions in the second edition (1971) will 
illustrate the changes. 
Generic terms and their definitions deal only with the shape of a feature as depicted by bathymetric contours. 
The terms purposely do not connote process of formation or genesis. The definitions are intentionally general 
and nontechnical. 
A geographic name serves to identify a feature, not to describe it completely. For the sake of brevity, 
modifying adjectives in terms such as abyssal plain, archipelagic apron, continental (or insular) border- 
land/shelf/slope, and deep-sea fan, are customarily dropped when the terms are used as generics in 
geographic names. The simplification of terms for use in names does not preclude their use in descriptive 
text. The Sohm Plain, for example, is an abyssal plain, and the Amazon Fan is a deep-sea fan. 
Italicized terms in the following definitions are themselves defined in the list. Asterisks indicate 
minor-feature terms and definitions recently approved by BGN. With some few exceptions, including 
minor-feature terms and definitions, the terminology below agrees with that being considered for 
approval by the UN and IHO. 
Vii 
