Place names often reflect the geographical features, and/or history of the area or the inhabitants and their culture. Often you may have noticed there will be changes In the name of a town, a city or a street.

In Nunavut, such has been the situation and even a program whose prime purpose was “to preserve and promote Inuit language and culture by providing official recognition to traditional Inuktitut place names.” Called Toponymy, here is the link…

http://www.ch.gov.nu.ca/en/Toponymy.aspx

Kugaaruk or Kuugaarruk; English: "little stream") …also called Arviligjuaq, meaning "the great bowhead whale” ..formerly Pelly Bay.

Kugluktuk or in the local language Inuinnaqtun: Qurluktuk, "the place of moving water"; was formerly Coppermine until 1 January 1996 and is  situated at the mouth of the Coppermine River.

Kimmirut known as previously as Lake Harbour is a community in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada.

Taloyoak or Talurjuaq formerly known as Spence Bay until 1 July 1992 has a 2006 population of 809.

Arctic Bay, one of my favorites, has of 2011 Population: 823, or in Inuktitut Ikpiarjuk  means "the pocket". It is an Inuit hamlet located in the northern part of the Borden Peninsula on Baffin Island  in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada.

History

Arctic Bay Health Centre

The Arctic Bay area has been occupied for nearly 5000 years by Inuit nomads migrating from the west. In 1872, a European whaling ship, the Arctic, captained by Willie Adams, passed through and gave the area its English name. It has the lowest tidal range in Canada.

The Inuktitut name for Arctic Bay is Ikpiarjuk which means "the pocket" in English. This name describes the high hills that surround the almost landlocked bay. To the southeast, the flat-topped King George V Mountain dominates the landscape of the hamlet. The community is served by annual supply sealift, and by Arctic Bay Airport. There is also a road connecting it to Nanisivik, a mining community just inland that is being closed up. Residents had hoped to boost their housing and public facilities with buildings relocated from Nanisivik, but those hopes were dashed due to lead-zinc contamination. However,

a church was relocated from Nanisivik to Arctic Bay in August 2007.