Misuse of the gosvami title

[Bhakti Vikasa Swami]

There were six great Gosvamis of Vrndavana -- Srila Rupa, Sanatana, Bhatta
Raghunatha, Sri Jiva, Gopala Bhatta and Dasa Raghunatha -- and none of them
inherited the title of gosvami. All the Gosvamis of Vrndavana were bona fide
spiritual masters situated on the highest platform of devotional service, and
for that reason they were called gosvamis. All the temples of Vrndavana were
certainly started by the Six Gosvamis. Later the worship in the temples was
entrusted to some householder disciples of the Gosvamis, and since then the
hereditary title of gosvami has been used. However, only one who is a bona fide
spiritual master expanding the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Krsna
consciousness movement, and who is in full control of his senses can be
addressed as a gosvami. Unfortunately, the hereditary process is going on;
therefore at the present moment, in most cases the title is being misused due
to ignorance of the word's etymology.

Srila Prabhupada
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 9.289 purport