A practical checklist

  1. Choose one naming pattern, such as a local name with a direction or number.
  2. Check for names that sound alike or differ by only one easily missed character.
  3. Put older nicknames in field notes so existing paper records can still be matched.
Illustrative recordA worked example

Use “Creek North” and “Creek South” rather than two entries called “Creek.” Notes on Creek North say “Also called Johnson upper field in notebooks before 2025.” The current name remains consistent.

What to avoid

Do not embed a crop in a permanent field name unless it is part of the established place name. A crop change should not make the field seem like a different location.

All field history guides