The federal government has received, and the Town Council has approved, a suggestion for a name for one of Cape Elizabeth's tributaries to the Spurwink River.

"Dyer Brook" is the suggested name for a stream flowing into the river across the land of James C. Cox, 1148 Sawyer Road.

Cox has suggested the name to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, a federal body established in 1890 to maintain uniform geographic name usage.

The name would honor William, Nathaniel and James Dyer, owners of the property in the 1700s. The historic Dyer-Hutchinson farm property is also the site of what is believed to be Cape Elizabeth's oldest remaining house, built around 1790.

Town councilors said they were excited to see a citizen who had done some historical research come forward with a suggestion for a new name. "One of the recommendations of the new comprehensive plan was to name unnamed bodies of water," said Town Councilor Mary Ann Lynch, who served on the committee that formulated the plan recently approved by the council.

"It's a small thing, but I think people really appreciate something more if they can put a name and a place to it," said Lynch.

The council considered the name at its November meeting because the Board on Geographic names was looking for local input.