Countries That Have Changed Their Name

Turkey Rebranding

Turkey's recent efforts to rebrand itself as Türkiye aim to enhance national pride and distance its identity from the bird of the same name. Gary Arndt explains that the name change is motivated by the association of the word "turkey" with negative connotations, such as foolishness 1. This isn't Turkey's first attempt at a name change; a similar effort in the 1980s failed to gain traction. The official name remains Turkey in international organizations, but gaining popular acceptance of Türkiye will take time.

   

Eswatini Transition

Swaziland's transition to Eswatini marks a significant cultural shift away from colonial-era naming. Eswatini, the traditional name, has been used within the country for a long time, reflecting the Swati ethnic group's heritage 1. Gary Arndt notes that the change was a move to reclaim the country's identity from the British-imposed name, Swaziland. Unlike Turkey's rebranding, Eswatini's name change is a complete departure from its colonial past, though public adoption may take decades.