To enter Place Name in Multiple Languages

Google Maps tips & tricks
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I first noticed Maps started to support input of Place Names in Multiple Languages in Nov 2016.

After 9 months, I find the feature is quite stable, and Places with Multiple Language Names are more abundant.

For example, to add a Chinese name to a Place. We need to see the Name Input Field that is expecting Chinese input, like this:

Name Edit with Multiple Languages
Name Edit with Multiple Languages392×247 7.98 KB

  • The 1st Input Field said “Input English Name”
  • The 2ndInput Field said “Input Chinese (Taiwan) Name”

If we look at the same POI in English, the same screen only have the English Name field:

Name edit screen in English
Name edit screen in English391×698 35.8 KB

Tip 1: To enter the Place name in a specific language, switch Maps to that Language

(Please see this post if you need help to switch language in Desktop Maps.)

  1. Open Desktop Maps, and switch to Chinese Language

  2. Open this POI, Choose Suggest an Edit

Place Card in Chinese Taiwan
Place Card in Chinese Taiwan402×882 212 KB

  1. Click Suggest an Edit

POI Edit screen in Chinese Taiwan
POI Edit screen in Chinese Taiwan394×626 33.8 KB

  1. Click on the Place Name. The existing name “Anna’s Wonderland” is pre-populated in the first input field. While the 2nd field is for Chinese Taiwan which is empty.

Chinese Taiwan field shown below existing name
Chinese Taiwan field shown below existing name382×201 10.9 KB

  1. Let’s remove the existing Name. Then we can find out that name is in the English field.
  • Don’t worry. When we put the input cursor into the 2nd input field, then back to the 1st input field, the original name will reappear.

We can find out which Language the Place Name is in by removing the name.
We can find out which Language the Place Name is in by removing the name.302×173 9.88 KB

  1. Now, we can put the correct name in the correct language input field as needed.
  • Of course, you need to switch the Input Method in your Computer / Device to do that.
  • Click on Submit when done.

Please note:

  • Please switch Maps to the Language you want to use before calling out the Name Editing screen
  • Following this procedures repeatedly with different Languages, we can enter Place Name in multiple Languages
  • We should always put the Place Name to the correct Language Box.
  • We should NEVER enter mixed Languages into the same Language Field
  • If we are viewing Maps in Engilsh, but the Place do not have an English Name, then Maps might use the Category and auto-translate to English. Similar will apply when we are viewing Maps in different languages
  • If you are using Mobile, we have to switch Language using the Mobile OS’s setting screen. Then, at least on Android 6 and 7, we need to close Maps and open Maps again for the Language Change to take effect.

I am writing the above from my personal observations. Please feel free to suggest corrections.

Hope it helps!

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Nice work @YK1001

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Recommend that this discussion be pinned to the top of this forum

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When adding a missing place, it would be convenient to be able to add the place name in two languages, or is there a way to do this already ? When suggesting edits there is usually a second name field, but not when adding a new place ,

Thanks

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Hai @Mjyates read this content by connect moderator about adding names in multiple languages https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/How-do-I/To-enter-Place-Name-in-Multiple-Languages/td-p/423477

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Hai @YK1001 Thanks for sharing this great information. I’m also searching for how to add multiple language names

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Hi @JimB_1 ,

Thank you very much!

This thread is being “featured” in this “How do I” board. Yes, I would like this to be even more visible to more fellow LGs.

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@arjunsbmp wrote:

Hai @Mjyates read this content by connect moderator about adding names in multiple languages https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/How-do-I/To-enter-Place-Name-in-Multiple-Languages/td-p/423477

Yes thanks for this reply. This does work for editing an existing name but not when adding a missing place ?

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This was very helpful. Thanks for the advice.

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Hi @Mjyates ,

Yes, when we are adding a missing place, we can only enter the name in one language.

We need to add any extra language names after the place is published.

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@YK1001 , fantastic I found this thread…

Regarding “After 9 months, I find the feature is quite stable, and Places with Multiple Language Names are more abundant.”

I find many POIs that don’t support multiple language names… some does, some don’t … in same setting on my browser and pc… and even same categories like say some Restaurants, I just cannot input different language names for some POIs, the second field just don’t show up…

Why is this so, I could not find an explanation…

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Hi @StephenAbraham ,

Can you link some of those POI that you cannot add Names in extra Language? It will allow me to do some studies.

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@YK1001 , never mind… I figured it out just now… apparently after I add in the second language, when approved and applied, and if I edit again, only a single field shows up… double field only shows up if the secondary language name is blank…

I must have got confused because some POIs may already have a second language, but the second field doesn’t show up when editing… it basically means, it’s already there…

Thanks again… for making me investigate and understanding… :slight_smile:

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For me, when a POI already have Names in 3 different language which all of them are different than the language my mobile is using, when I do an edit, 4 fields will be shown.

So it sounds to me something is not right if you only see 1 language fields if that POI already has Names in two different languages.

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@YK1001 Thanks… I am using Desktop Maps on Chrome. I will check out the Maps app later… I suspect that should be fine as you state…

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Great @YK1001 , super helpful

Ermes

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Thank you for your kindness, @ErmesT !

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@YK1001

Thank you for your tutorial, but I think Google is getting it wrong when trying to translate all names of places. Yes, the Eiffel Tower is known as such in English and we do not call it the “Tour Eiffel” unless you speak French. But some names, in particular names of restaurants and businesses, the name is part of a brand. The “Tour de France” does not become “Tour of France” in English.

Now, changing them to another script (e.g. as Chinese letters are not the same as English letters) from one language writing style to another, that all makes sense. But when I am in Spain and a French restaurant is called “Mon Ami” it does NOT make sense to translate this to “Mi Amigo”.

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Hi @JeroenM ,

POI Name translation is tricky - no doubt about that.

Just that I am not sure where does those POI names in extra languages come from?

One for sure, is we LGs can add them. But is Google using Auto-Translation to come up with those extra names?

I also want to know.

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@YK1001

Yes, I am under the impression that Google makes some auto-translations. However, when answering Do you know this place? questions (not to confuse with check the facts) I have been asked about a name translation as well. That, to me, makes a lot more sense, before putting silly unhelpful translations on the map.

My concern is, that the question asked is wrong. It asks about the translation, so people might think yes that is what it translates to, HOWEVER the question should be, how do people call this place in English (read: replace English with other languages)? That is not the same as how do you translate the name.

When I come accros this, I flag the question and when I come across a silly name, I edit it back to the name “Mon Ami” as per my above example. I have not noticed that these Name edits of mine are not approved, but I shall look into it again, as they are pending for a long time.

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