1. Names are strings of characters that serve as labels that link biodiversity data objects to our understanding of taxonomy, the identity and relationships among taxa.
2. Names originate in published nomenclatural acts that provide the basic "words" of taxonomy. These words are governed by formal codes of nomenclature whose rules govern whether a name should be used or not.
3. Names are key components of taxon concepts, that provide "definitions" to taxonomic names through the use of circumscription information, the degree and basis of which may vary among sources.

This sets the stage for the logical ambitions of the GNA

1. To accelerate the discovery of all names used in biodiversity data objects,developing technologies to discover, processing, reconcile, and map these names to their origins within nomenclatural acts

2. To consoidate all nomenclatural acts (sensu lato) from which taxonomic names originate. Tie these acts to their source bibliographic references and typicification records. Includes 'taxonomic acts' that are original taxonomic assertions

3. Develop a catalog of taxonomic checklists, floras, faunas and monographs. Seek to ties these to 2.