An alternate name is a secondary version of an object's standard name, which is widely recognized as an identifying referent of that object. It can be an alternate spelling of the name, or simply an additional name allowed by the controller of the object. Alternate names may be assigned when multiple valid sources disagree on the exact name of an object; normally the name given by the lower-ranked source would be listed as the alternate name.

When an object has no officially assigned name, and a name is generated automatically from other data (e.g. using an address for a building name), any other names validly generated in a similar way may be assigned as alternate names (e.g. a secondary address, in the above instance).

Former names and future names of an object are not listed as alternate names, unless they are alternatives to a more standard name for the period during which the name is given. This would occur when multiple names existed in the past (or are projected to exist in the future), or when a historical name survives a renaming and remains in use. Otherwise, former and future names are simply listed as standard names with past or future timestamps to indicate that they do not presently apply.