人類早期逐水草而居，隨著聚落環境特色的改變並經眾人一致稱謂，地名於焉產生。「地名」為一地之名，無論其所代表文化歷史演變或環境變遷，均可以說明了由「鮮為人知」到「廣為人知」及「約定俗成」至「法規至成」的地步。地名的正確位置與相互間之空間關係，都能由地圖直接呈現成出來，因此地名是地圖主要內容之一，用圖者往往先行查閱地名，再行觀看其它地理要素，所以地名採用正確與否攸關地圖品質。近年來受電腦科技之賜，地圖自動化已稍具規模，其中地名是一項重要資訊，因此對於地圖上地名問題應密切注意，避免造成讀者影響或歪曲地名特徵性。

A geographic name was created when in everyday language all people were to use but one name for a given geographic entity with only one entity known by that name. The officially geographic names which was recognized varies with time according to sociopolitical conditions, the mobility of people and their naming habits, and language flexibility. Geographic name are the main contents of maps, they enable us to explain spatial phenomenon on paper. They, used in cartography, are conventions which allows a map to be read efficiently. With the development of computerized system to store, record, analysis, produce maps and geographic products based on spatial data, we can produce automatic name placement system into their components parts so that they can be effectively arranged in the database. Furthermore, the map designer's personal recognition and lacking of geography specialty knowledge, cause diversity between the mapmaker's recognition and the subject sense, and result in the misunderstanding for the usage.