Nauru is seeking to use Naoero at the United Nations this week, highlighting why national name changes can be harder than corporate rebrands: they touch on language, identity and history, and may take years to gain broad international use.
Türkiye illustrates the uneven uptake: after Turkey notified the U.N. in June 2022, the organization and NATO adopted Türkiye, and many governments and NGOs use it. The U.S. mostly uses Türkiye, but the AP retains Turkey because of its common English spelling and familiarity to global audiences. Côte d’Ivoire’s 1985 request that the U.N. stop translating its French name has not become universal, while Swaziland’s 2018 change to Eswatini largely took root within a few years.
National names can reflect ethnic and historical politics: Siam became Thailand in 1939 to foster ethnic unity and shed a foreign label. Erdoğan said in 2012 that Türkiye better suited his country; University of Alabama professor Ali Fuad Selvi argued the change was intended to consolidate Erdoğan’s power and elevate his standing. Cabo Verde asked the U.N. in 2013 to use its Portuguese name in every language, saying this would reinforce national identity and standardize its designation; FIFA used Cabo Verde for its team at the 2026 World Cup, where it reached the knockout stage.
