How Auto-Name Generation Works for Tracks, Routes, and Waypoints

If connected to the internet when you create a track, route, or waypoint in Gaia GPS, a name gets automatically generated.

Tracks are automatically named using a geocoder, a special search engine that converts geographic coordinates to place names. Gaia GPS uses the geocoder mapzen search (https://mapzen.com/projects/search/), which is based on data from OpenStreetMap.

A track name gets updated whenever the app enters the foreground during track recording.

To name a track, the app uses the geocoder to look up names for the start and end points. If the app detects that the track is an out-and-back, it uses the turnaround point instead of the end point.

If the app is able to get names for the start and end location it will generate a name in the form “Start to End.” If both the start and end points end with the same word or phrase, the shared words get removed from the starting point. 

• Example: “123 Main Street, My Town, Montana, USA to 10 Back Alley, My Town, Montana, USA” gets condensed to “123 Main Street to 10 Back Alley, My Town, Montana, USA”

If the geocoder returns the same name for the start and end locations, that name becomes the track name.

This same logic applies to generating routes on gaiagps.com/map.

If you'd like to override the auto-name feature:

• Turn on airplane mode when creating routes and waypoints
• Set your own name for a track

If the app can't search for a name, and you don't choose one, the track gets saved in the standard Date/Time format.