The article clarifies the notion of topo-ideogram as a variation of the ideogram of a proper name: in the context of the discussion about semantics of the onym, it is semantics of the stem of the appellative being original for the toponym that appears to be the closest unit of the conceptual level. Such understanding serves as a theoretical basis for splitting material in a dictionary: the thematic (ideographic) field of topo-nyms is taken as the basic unit. The article considers a number of techniques used for the correct formulation of a topo-ideogram in cases where a toponym can potentially be correlated with several appellative stems. Such theoretical comprehension and practical embodiment of the topo-ideogram interpretation in the course of lexicographic work results in the development of a toponymic ideographic dictionary. Such a dictionary is a comparatively new onomastic-lexicographic genre, allowing one to look at the semantic or, more precisely, the notional side of the geographical names of a particular region (this article is a case study of microtoponyms of the Vologda region) based not on the alphabetical but on the thematic grouping of the material. In this article, the conditions necessary for the creation of a toponymic ideographic dictionary are described, the principles of lexicographic description of toponyms in the ideographic aspect are formulated, specific dictionary entries are given. The result of this lexicographical work in the theoretical aspect is the notion of nominating consciousness selecting a number of denotative spheres as being topical and represented in toponymy; it also reveals the interpretive potential of a toponymic ideographic dictionary: thematic, motivational, nominative and quantitative regularities specific to the microtoponymy of the Vologda region are identified, linguistic and extralinguistic factors influencing those are explained. Materials of a toponymic ideography can be used for research in the field of ethnolinguistics and ethnography.