# OS Names API

The OS Names API is a geographic directory containing basic information about identifiable places. It provides a reliable way of supporting the discovery, identification and visualisation of a named place. You can use it for geocoding, routing and navigation, linking diverse information (such as statistics or descriptions) and more.

The OS Names API allows you to locate a feature using only its name, or to find the closest location to a given point. Places are divided into themes, but the name of the place is the key property used in queries.

Within OS Names API, place names aren’t unique. Extra location details are provided to help you refine your queries and accurately identify the named place you're interested in. These include the postcode, district, populated place, district/borough, county/unitary authority, European region and country. Places may also have more than one name, for example Cardiff (in English) and Caerdydd (in Welsh).

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Features" %}
**Comprehensive data**

Take advantage of direct access to the [OS Open Names](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/products/addresses-and-names-portfolio/os-open-names) data.

**Nearest location search**

Help users find the closest named location.

**Link your own data**

Link your own data to named locations with co-ordinates that are ready to map.

**Free to use**

Free for all to use for any purpose. The underlying data is sourced from OS Open Names which is available under the Open Government Licence attribution to inform decision making.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Benefits" %}
**Improve search accuracy**

Using a comprehensive data source to ensure correct named location identification.

**Enhanced user experience**

Enable faster and more reliable named location searches.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Summary" %}

* **Format:** GeoJSON, XML
* **Data Source**: [OS Open Names](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/products/addresses-and-names-portfolio/os-open-names)
* **Coverage:** Great Britain
* **Update:** Five working days from each [product refresh date](https://docs.os.uk/os-downloads/resources/product-resources/product-refresh-dates)
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

## **Things to remember for OS Names API**

{% hint style="success" %}
You can:

* Search for areas, cities and roads
* Search for postcodes
* Search for named woodlands and forests
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
You can't:

* Search for specific addresses (for example, 21 Croxton Road)
* Bulk-search for addresses
  {% endhint %}

## What's next?

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th><select><option value="5h00z16xuN3Z" label="Labs.os.uk" color="blue"></option></select></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Getting started with example queries using Node.js</strong></td><td>Example queries that you can adapt and use with OS Names API.</td><td></td><td><a href="os-names-api/getting-started-with-example-queries-using-node.js">getting-started-with-example-queries-using-node.js</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Technical specification</strong></td><td>This technical specification explains the content of the OS Names API and the methods you can use to call it.</td><td></td><td><a href="os-names-api/technical-specification">technical-specification</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Code examples</strong></td><td>Code examples you can use to display a map using the OS Names API.</td><td><span data-option="5h00z16xuN3Z">Labs.os.uk</span></td><td><a href="https://labs.os.uk/public/os-data-hub-examples/os-names-api/find-example-placename#maplibre-gl-js">https://labs.os.uk/public/os-data-hub-examples/os-names-api/find-example-placename#maplibre-gl-js</a></td></tr></tbody></table>