Lots of countries change the names of things, even countries themselves.. Bombay to Mumbai, Ceylon to Sri Lanka, Turkey to Türkiye etc. Yes, some of those are specific to a name in a particular language and all have precedents rather than being entirely new. However, it is a precedent for governments deciding the names of things.
This, as its just made up, reminds me a lot of political/nationalist renaming of things like roads which is very common in parts of South Asia.
Attempts by political states to attempt to nationalize the vernacular should be ignored and rejected in all cases.
The examples you're citing are less ridiculous than these recent stunts, but still should be considered in terms of their intentions and effects.
What's the motivation for trying to detatch the name of something from its existing understanding and historical context?
Why should the attempts to "rebrand" an entire country or geographical feature made by a government -- a particular instituion within society, usually under the control of one narrow faction in opposition to others -- be respected by the whole of society within that country, let alone by people in foreign countries speaking a different language?
Why should, for example, the Turkish government -- which operates in the Turkish language, where "Türkiye" already was the standard name of their country -- be respected in its attempt to get English speakers to write the country's name in orthography that is not readily pronounceable by English speakers, and using characters that aren't standard on our keyboard layouts?
However, it is a precedent for governments deciding the names of things.
??? that's not true at all
reminds me a lot of political/nationalist renaming of things like roads which is very common in parts of South Asia
Isn't that very common in... Canada?
Ottawa, Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway -> Kichi Zībī Mīkan (2023)
Winnipeg, Bishop Grandin Boulevard -> Abinojii Mikanah (2023–24)
Halifax, Cornwallis Street -> Nora Bernard Street (2023)
Montreal, Rue Amherst -> Rue Atateken (2019)
Vancouver, Trutch Street -> šxʷməθkʷəy̓əmasəm Street (2025)
Victoria, Trutch Street -> Su'it Street (2022)
Calgary, Langevin Bridge -> Reconciliation Bridge (2017)
It's not like the current US admin is the first in North America to decide to rename things for political reasons.
I have lived in South Asia and have never been to Canada and know little about it.
Are the Canadian examples nationalist? It looks like your first example was first renamed after a politician (which is like South Asia) and then renamed again after a pushback to that (which is not like South Asia)
Attempts to rename a body of water that is shared by two countries with the name of one of the countries, unilaterally, is 1) impolite, 2) pretty rare, and 3) completely ineffective and just makes you look weak.
I feel like instances of this kind of decision (also from your examples) fall into two groups: replacing names from colonization with local names, and... Second group name left as an exercise to the reader.
There is less difference than you imply. It is nationalists who are keenest on replacing colonial names. Not all name changes are of colonial names either.
What about when the locals are perfectly happy with the colonial name and politicians (maybe distant from the place) want to change it?
I read elsewhere that Map Quest refused to use "Lake America". I was pleased to find, pretty much on the other wide of the world, their maps also still use the name "Duplication Road" after many decades.
Comments
Lots of countries change the names of things, even countries themselves.. Bombay to Mumbai, Ceylon to Sri Lanka, Turkey to Türkiye etc. Yes, some of those are specific to a name in a particular language and all have precedents rather than being entirely new. However, it is a precedent for governments deciding the names of things.
This, as its just made up, reminds me a lot of political/nationalist renaming of things like roads which is very common in parts of South Asia.
Attempts by political states to attempt to nationalize the vernacular should be ignored and rejected in all cases.
The examples you're citing are less ridiculous than these recent stunts, but still should be considered in terms of their intentions and effects.
What's the motivation for trying to detatch the name of something from its existing understanding and historical context?
Why should the attempts to "rebrand" an entire country or geographical feature made by a government -- a particular instituion within society, usually under the control of one narrow faction in opposition to others -- be respected by the whole of society within that country, let alone by people in foreign countries speaking a different language?
Why should, for example, the Turkish government -- which operates in the Turkish language, where "Türkiye" already was the standard name of their country -- be respected in its attempt to get English speakers to write the country's name in orthography that is not readily pronounceable by English speakers, and using characters that aren't standard on our keyboard layouts?
??? that's not true at all
Isn't that very common in... Canada?
It's not like the current US admin is the first in North America to decide to rename things for political reasons.I have lived in South Asia and have never been to Canada and know little about it.
Are the Canadian examples nationalist? It looks like your first example was first renamed after a politician (which is like South Asia) and then renamed again after a pushback to that (which is not like South Asia)
Another HN thread made be look up a place name to find out where it was. This is somewhere I have actually been to!
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49533216
Attempts to rename a body of water that is shared by two countries with the name of one of the countries, unilaterally, is 1) impolite, 2) pretty rare, and 3) completely ineffective and just makes you look weak.
I feel like instances of this kind of decision (also from your examples) fall into two groups: replacing names from colonization with local names, and... Second group name left as an exercise to the reader.
There is less difference than you imply. It is nationalists who are keenest on replacing colonial names. Not all name changes are of colonial names either.
What about when the locals are perfectly happy with the colonial name and politicians (maybe distant from the place) want to change it?
I read elsewhere that Map Quest refused to use "Lake America". I was pleased to find, pretty much on the other wide of the world, their maps also still use the name "Duplication Road" after many decades.
Worse than made up, it's the sort of thing an angry 6 year old would come up with.
Totally unserious behavior, and it's ridiculous that Americans and the rest of the world have to put up with this nonsense.
A small number of Republican representatives and senators could end it all today by publicly supporting impeachment.