Desert islands such as Norfolk in the south-west Pacific offer important insights into the genesis and development of languages. The paper addresses the particular issue of the origin of place names. It shows the tension between the different groups that settled on the island since 1788 and pays particular attention to the diverging naming practices of British colonial administrators and Pitcairn Islanders. It also comments on the consequences of globalization such as the growing pressure to select names that enhance the images promoted by the tourist industry.