In the Winter of each year, the members of the NAMES Editorial Board review and select the best article of the year.  Articles are judged across three criteria: 1.) creativity and originality; 2.) potential scholarly contribution to onomastics; and 3.) writing style and organization. For 2025, the international team of onomastic experts on the NAMES Board selected “Mapping Place Names” for the prestigious award.  The winning publication was co-authored by Søren Wichmann and Lennart Chevallier of the University of Kiel in Germany.

The article appears in the volume 74, no. 3 of NAMES, accessible here. This cutting-edge piece of research was selected for its innovative methodological approach, exemplary use of dynamic and highly informative graphics, as well as its concise yet engaging scientific writing. This outstanding piece of research can be read online, free of charge, via the NAMES website.  While there, names enthusiasts are encouraged to explore the journal’s open-access archive where all publications featured in NAMES are freely available to the international scientific community and general public.