actually change the name,and then announce how you're going to refer to them.

USGS

(snip)

Denali goes to the U.S. Board

The Alaska State Board on Geographic Names, acting under state authority, made the name Denali official for state use in 1975. Soon afterward, Alaska Governor Jay S. Hammond petitioned the Secretary of the Interior for federal recognition of the name by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN).

The BGN, in accordance with its customary practice, did not act immediately on Hammond’s request in order to hear the views of many other interested parties. Due to continued reaction to the name-change proposal by the public and elected officials, the BGN took no decisive action until its July 1977 meeting, when it was agreed that public meetings should be held. The first meeting was held in October at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.; the second in November in Anchorage, Alaska.

An impasse with Congress and the Board

The BGN then indicated that it expected to render a decision on the name change proposal at its December 1977 meeting. Prior to that meeting, however, the Ohio congressional delegation introduced a joint resolution in Congress, which if passed, would “retain the name Mount McKinley in perpetuity.” As a result, the BGN deferred any action on the issue at that December meeting — and for many years afterward as the Ohio delegation to Congress continued to introduce legislation to keep the name Mount McKinley.

In order to distance itself from political considerations, the BGN adopted a policy in the 1960s that it would not consider geographic name issues that were the subject of pending congressional legislation, a policy later endorsed by the Secretary of the Interior in 1981. The consequence of this well-intentioned policy was that the repeated introduction of legislation by the Ohio delegation (1977-2015) had the effect of indefinitely deferring any further consideration of the McKinley-Denali controversy by the BGN.

“The 38-year impasse between the BGN and Congress was unique in BGN history, a situation that was never anticipated when the policy was adopted,” said Doug Caldwell, Chair, U.S. Board on Geographic Names.

Meanwhile, the people of Alaska continued to show their support for the name Denali. Resolutions in support of BGN recognition of the name for federal use were adopted by the Alaska State Board on Geographic Names in 2001 and 2009. The Alaska delegation to Congress offered several bills in support of the name; the most recent was sponsored by Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan in January 2015. As recently as August 12, 2015, the Denali Borough Assembly (the local government that encompasses the mountain) adopted a resolution to support “federal designation for the tallest North American peak as Denali.”



Enter the Secretary

Under the 1947 law that empowers the BGN to standardize and approve geographic names, the Secretary of the Interior has equal (“conjoint” is the term used in the law) authority with the BGN. In fact, under the law, the Secretary is responsible for overseeing the BGN’s actions. The law explicitly states that action “may be taken by the Secretary in any matter wherein the Board does not act within a reasonable time.”

Forty years have passed since former Alaska Governor Hammond first petitioned for a name change in 1975. In view of the expressed will of the people of Alaska and in keeping with the principles of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, Secretary Jewell has now taken action to rename Mount McKinley as Denali under the authority granted to her office by the law.

All Americans can appreciate that the citizens of Alaska deserve to have national recognition of the ancient, sacred, and popular name that they favor for the preeminent mountain of North America.

https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/old-name-officially-returns-nations-highest-peak

Secretary Jewell Announces Nation’s Highest Peak Will Now Officially Bear Native Name

Endorsed by President Obama, Secretary Jewell Changes Name of Mount McKinley to Denali
08/30/2015
Last edited 09/29/2021


ANCHORAGE, AK – In recognition of the long history of strong support from Alaska state, tribal and congressional leaders, and in resolution of an official request for a name change pending for 40 years, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today announced that the highest mountain in the United States and North America, formerly known as Mount McKinley, will be officially given the traditional Koyukon Athabascan name of Denali.

President Obama endorsed Jewell’s decision to issue a Secretarial Order that officially changes the name. Jewell is granted the authority to make such changes in certain cases per the 1947 federal law that provides for the standardization of geographic names through the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The name change will be reflected in all federal usage.

“This name change recognizes the sacred status of Denali to many Alaska Natives,” Secretary Jewell said. “The name Denali has been official for use by the State of Alaska since 1975, but even more importantly, the mountain has been known as Denali for generations. With our own sense of reverence for this place, we are officially renaming the mountain Denali in recognition of the traditions of Alaska Natives and the strong support of the people of Alaska.”

Since 1897 and until today, the official name of the mountain in federal publications has been Mount McKinley. The mountain retained the federally authorized name Mount McKinley, even as the name of the national park was changed in 1980 from Mount McKinley National Park into the new (and larger) area named Denali National Park and Preserve under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

“Recognizing the long history and discussion about the name of this iconic American mountain, the time has come to restore the traditional Alaska Native title Denali for this landmark, which holds great significance to the people of Alaska,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis.

In 1896, a prospector emerged from exploring the mountains of central Alaska and received news that William McKinley had been nominated as a candidate for President of the United States. In a show of support, the prospector declared the tallest peak of the Alaska Range as Mount McKinley – and the name stuck.

For centuries, the mountain that rises more than 20,000 feet above sea level, the tallest on the North American continent, had been known by another name – Denali. McKinley, our 25th President, was tragically assassinated just six months into his second term, but he never set foot in Alaska.

On March 11, 1975, Governor Jay S. Hammond of Alaska requested that the Secretary of the Interior direct the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to officially designate Mount McKinley in Alaska as Denali. This proposal, never withdrawn, is based on a resolution that was passed by the Alaska State Legislature.

Since 1977, the Board, in deference to potential congressional action, had not resolved the proposal for changing the federally recognized geographic name from Mount McKinley to Denali. Secretary Jewell’s action today finally resolves the March 1975 petition by former Governor Hammond.

Denali National Park & Preserve, where the mountain is located, was established in 1917 and annually sees more than 500,000 visitors to the 6 million acres that now make up the park and preserve. About 1,200 mountaineers attempt to summit the mountain each year; typically about half are successful.

https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-jewell-announces-nation%E2%80%99s-highest-peak-will-now-bear-native

On the other hand, if it's that easy to just rename things, then I'm going to push for a state government order to rename Mar-a-Lago as Shitberg and demand that the AP use that from now on.