India to be renamed Bharat? 10 countries that changed their name

Countries changing their names are not uncommon in history. The reasons can be many, such as political shifts, decolonization, or cultural changes.

Amidst rumours that the Modi government is likely to take a decision to change the official name of “India” to “Bharat,” here are some of the countries that have changed their names.

Turkey to Turkiye

The United Nations agreed to recognise Turkey as ‘Turkiye’ in June 2022 after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan argued that the word represents the culture & values of the Turkish nation.

Czech Republic to Czechia

The Czech Republic officially adopted the name “Czechia” as a short form in 2016. The decision was made to create a simpler, shorter, & more easily translatable name for the country in international contexts.

Swaziland to Eswatini

On its 50th Independence Day in April 2018, King Mswati III announced that Swaziland, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, will return to its original name of Eswatini.

Holland to the Netherlands

The Dutch government has begun referring to itself as the Netherlands starting in 2020 in an effort to reposition the country on the global stage.

Ceylon to Sri Lanka

In 1972, the island nation of Ceylon officially changed its name to Sri Lanka after gaining independence from British colonial rule.

Siam to Thailand

The renaming of Siam to Thailand took place in 1939 under the Phibun government. After World War II, the country briefly returned to the name Siam in 1945, but was renamed Thailand again in 1949.

Burma to Myanmar

The country’s military junta changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989.

Persia to Iran

In 1935, the Iranian government demanded that all countries with which it maintained diplomatic relations address the country by its Persian name, Iran.

Irish Free State to Ireland

In 1937, the Irish Free State government adopted a new constitution, called the “Constitution of Ireland”. The purpose of this amendment was to affirm Ireland’s full sovereignty & underscore its independent status.

Macedonia to Republic of Northern Macedonia

The name change from Macedonia to the Republic of Northern Macedonia was the result of a long-running dispute with Greece that was finally settled in 2018 with the Prespa Agreement.