Gwynedd Council unanimously backed Cllr Einir Wyn Williams’ plea to Ordnance Survey (OS) to use only Welsh language landscape place names on maps in Wales.

Raising the matter she got a round of applause from fellow councillors during full council on 14 May.

Citing names such as The Mushroom Garden for Coed Cerrig y Frân and Heather Terrace Path for Llwybr Gwregys, she told the meeting the names had “no basis in tradition” and their use “undermined the Welsh language, history and national identity”.

She said using English names alongside Welsh ones created the impression Welsh names are optional.

Examples include Bala Lake/Llyn Tegid, and Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa.

Cllr John Pughe said the matter was “close to his heart” after introducing the argument at the Eryri National Park Authority who voted to use Yr Wyddfa, rather than Snowdon, and Parc Eryri Cenedlaethol rather than Snowdonia in official communication in 2022.

Cllr Rhys Tudur added: “These names are part of history. I myself see names changing, and on houses in my own area, things like ‘Happy Days’ even spelled ‘Daze’ – all sorts of things.

“I come across council tax bills and addresses using English names on streets. We should not use names as an authority, correspondence should go out in Welsh.”

Cllr Gwilym Evans agreed and paid tribute to the late Eilian Williams from Nant Peris who “did incredible work throughout his life campaigning hard against companies such as OS, to change Welsh names in areas such as Nant Peris, to use only the Welsh”.

Cllr Stephen Churchman agreed, suggesting an amendment requesting OS contact other Welsh authorities to “join the campaign”, which Cllr Wyn Williams agreed to add.

Earlier this week, OS said it was “committed to working in collaboration with Welsh Government, Welsh Language Commissioner and National Parks to identify what more we can do to support Welsh.”