Active Naming Projects

To learn about current and upcoming Park and Recreation capital projects in San José visit Capital Projects, where the City is actively collecting name suggestions and feedback through surveys and community meetings. By participating in the surveys and meetings linked there, you can help shape the names of new parks and public spaces in your community. 

About the Naming Process

How Naming Works 

The naming process has two parts. The entire process takes about six to nine months. Part one - Community Online Surveys: Community members can help pick a name by taking part in two online surveys. The first survey (Name Suggestion Survey) lets people look at name options chosen by staff and also suggest new names. Staff will check these new names to make sure they fit the rules. The second survey (Ranked Choice Survey) asks people to put the name options in order from favorite to least favorite. After the surveys, staff looks at the results.

Part two - Name Recommendations for Official Adoption:
Staff uses the survey results, community ideas, and department rules to recommend a name. They first share their recommendation with the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC). The PRC then suggests a name to the City Council. The City Council makes the final choice and officially picks the name. They think about the PRC’s suggestion, staff input, and what the community said. The chosen name will be put on a sign at the park.

In evaluating potential names, staff considers:

• City Council Policy 7-5, Naming of City-Owned Land and Facilities
• The results of all online naming surveys
• PRNS ActivateSJ Guiding Principles
  
• City's Racial equity efforts

The Department prioritizes eligible names that reflect the Vision and Goals of Activate SJ, The City’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals, names in the existing Inventory, and that best support the facility design.   

City's Naming Criteria

To be eligible for consideration, new name suggestions must reflect at least one of the following policy criteria:

• Geographic location of the facility
• Prominent geographic feature of local reference point near the facility
• Adjoining subdivision/community features
• A historical event or person
• A deceased individual (individual must be deceased for at least five years and have made significant contributions to San José, the State, the Nation, or to the World)
• A group via a donation or sponsorship agreement (See City Council Policy 1-17, Donation, Sponsorship and Fundraising Guidelines for more information).

Guidance for Park Name Suggestions

In addition to meeting the Council criteria, the Department encourages names that recognize, highlight, and foster:

• Significant events, groups, inventions or innovations, movements, the signing of important documents, etc. that have contributed to and elevated San José as a place of distinction
• A more inclusive history of San José
• A sense of racial justice and inclusivity by providing a more complete representation of the City’s population
• The ecological, geographical, and historical landscape of the City and its neighborhoods.
• The unique story of San José and that elevate untold stories of the City and its residents
• The rich tapestry of the City and provide a sense of inclusion and belonging
• A sense of place and that create identity in terms of the history, culture, and contributions of San José residents

How to Suggest a Name

1. Review City Council Policy 7-5 and the guidance provided on this webpage.
2. Complete and submit a Suggestion Form:
   • Download the form and send the completed form to PRNS staff by:
     
     • Email: ParkPlanning@sanjoseca.gov
     • Mail: Park Naming, Capital Projects; 9th Floor, 200 E. Santa Clara St, San José, CA 95113

Disclaimer: To be considered in a pending survey or public meeting, names must meet the eligibility criteria and be submitted by the deadline listed in the survey or at least eight weeks in advance of a public meeting. All name suggestions will be reviewed and vetted internally. Only qualifying names will be included as an option in public surveys and during public meetings. Qualifying names can be received during the public meetings, but will not be able to be considered by the community before the meeting.

Suggestions on behalf of organizations

If you would like to submit a name suggestion on behalf of an organization, please submit a letter on the organization’s letterhead along with a completed Name Suggestion form. Please describe the organization’s support and reasoning for the nomination and email the letter to: ParkPlanning@sanjoseca.gov.

Need Some Ideas for Park Names? 

Refer to our Inventory of Eligible Names. Staff curated a list of eligible names. All of the names on this list meet the City’s naming criteria. Feel free to suggest one of these names in a park naming survey above.  

What happens after I suggest a name?

Once you submit your suggestion, you will receive an email within ten business days acknowledging receipt. Additional information may be required if the submission is incomplete or unclear. Staff will review the name suggestion for eligibility in alignment with the City Council Policy criteria and the Department’s goals. To be considered in an active survey process, eligible name suggestions must be received prior to the survey deadline. Qualifying names received after a survey deadline will be included as an option in future public surveys and public meetings.

Staff has the discretion to combine and modify qualifying names.