The name Great Northern Highway was first proposed in October 1940 by the state's Nomenclature Advisory Committee, to describe the main route from Midland to Geraldton, Western Australia. This was following the naming of the Great Eastern and Great Southern highways. The Midland Junction Municipal Council approved the name, however at the Geraldton Municipal Council meeting, one councillor suggested that Great Midland Highway would be a better name. The reasoning was that Geraldton was in the centre of the state's coastline, not in the north. It was explained that the highway would continue north past Geraldton, and the council voted to approve the name.