It seems that dipslay_name internally in mkgmap is not allowed to be set to "name". If identical it will not be set at all. Or is this really a Garmin limitation? To me it seems to be rather an mkgmap bug. If I set: {name '${ref|highway-symbol:hbox:6:4} ${name}' | '${ref|highway-symbol:hbox:6:4}' | '${name}'; set display_name='${ref}_${name}'} Both name and display_name are set correctly. If I change this to: {name '${ref|highway-symbol:hbox:6:4} ${name}' | '${ref|highway-symbol:hbox:6:4}' | '${name}'; set display_name='${ref} ${name}'} then display_name is not set (hence only ref will show up in routing instructions). Also splitting up the command into two lines, and setting dipsplay_name='${name}' after name in a second line it will not be set.