From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of
cities and
towns whose names were officially changed at one or more points in history. It does not include gradual changes in spelling that took place over long periods of time.
see also:
Geographical renaming ,
List of names of European cities in different languages , and
List of renamed places in the United States
Afghanistan
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
La Plata → Ciudad Eva Perón →
La Plata
Ciudad de la Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Santa María del Buen Aire →
Buenos Aires
Armenia
Australia
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bolivia
Botswana
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Ratiaria →
Archar
Asenovgrad → Stanimaka →
Asenovgrad (1934)
Scaptopara → Cuma-i Bala (Yukarı Cuma) → Gorna Dzhumaya →
Blagoevgrad
Orhanie →
Botevgrad
Pyrgos → Burgaz →
Burgas
Hadzhioglu Pazardzhik → Tolbukhin (1949) →
Dobrich (1990)
Dupniche → Marek → Stanke Dimitrov →
Dupnitsa
Nevrokop →
Gotse Delchev
Ortaköy →
Ivailovgrad
Pautalia → Velbazhd → Köstendil →
Kyustendil
Golyama Kutlovitsa → Kutlofça → Ferdinand (1890)→ Mihailovgrad (1945) →
Montana (1993)
Mesembria → Misivri→
Nesebar
Tatar Pazardzhik →
Pazardzhik
Kendros (Kendrisos/Kendrisia) → Odryssa → Eumolpia → Philipopolis → Trimontium → Ulpia → Flavia → Julia → Paldin/Ploudin → Poulpoudeva → Filibe →
Plovdiv
Anchialos → Tuthom → Anhyolu → Anhialo →
Pomorie
Ruschuk (Rusčuk) →
Rousse
Şumnu → Shumen → Kolarovgrad (1950) →
Shumen (1965)
Durostorum → Dorostol → Drastar → Silistre →
Silistra
Bashmakli → Ahiçelebi →
Smolyan
Serdica → Sredets → Triaditsa → Sofya →
Sofia
Beroe → Vereya (Beroya) → Ulpia Augusta Trajana → Irinopolis → Boruy → Vereya → Eski Zağra → Zheleznik →
Stara Zagora
Golyamo Konare →
Saedinenie
Eski Dzhumaia (Eski Cuma) →
Targovishte
Vassiliko → Tsarevo → Michurin →
Tsarevo
Odesos →
Varna → Stalin (1949)→
Varna (1956)
Tarnovgrad → Tarnovo → Tırnova → Tarnovo →
Veliko Tarnovo
Bononia → Bdin →
Vidin
Canada
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Nunavut
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Québec
Saskatchewan
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
†Name change in English due to replacement of
postal romanization with the
pinyin system. The Chinese name is unchanged.
Colombia
Bacatá → Santa Fe de Bacatá → Bogotá → Santa Fe de Bogotá →
Bogotá
Obando → Puerto Inírida →
Inirida
Patriarca San José → Cúcuta → San José de Cucúta →
Cúcuta
Valle de Upar → Ciudad de los Santos Reyes de Valledupar → Valle Dupar →
Valledupar
Nuestra Señora Santa María de los Remedios del Cabo de la Vela → Nuestra Señora de los Remedios del Río de la Hacha →
Riohacha
Barbudo → Santiago de Sompayón → Tamalameque → Santiago de Sompayón Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de El Banco →
El Banco
San Jerónimo de Buenavista →
Pereira
Apiay →
Villavicencio
Pueblo Viejo → San Francisco de Quibdó →
Quibdó
San Bonifacio de Ibagué del valle de las Lanzas →
Ibagué
Villaviciosa de la Concepción de la Provincia de Hatunllacta → Villaviciosa de la Concepción de San Juan de los Pastos →
San Juan de Pasto
San Antonio → Leticia
Santa Cruz de Pizarro → Santa Cruz de San José → Sitionuevo →
Sitio Nuevo
Villa Holguín →
Armenia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
Croatia
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Many cities had
Ancient Egyptian ,
Greek , and
Latin names
Iunyt, Ta-senet → Latopolis → Laton → Lato →
Esna
Equatorial Guinea
Port Clarence → Santa Isabel →
Malabo
Estonia
Eswatini
Finland
Kokkola/Gamlakarleby →
Kokkola /Karleby (1977, only the Swedish name changed)
Mustasaari/Mussor → Wasa → Nikolaistad/Nikolainkaupunki (1862) → Vasa/
Vaasa (1917)
Pargas/Parainen → Väståboland/Länsi-Turunmaa (2009) →
Pargas /Parainen (2012)
Pyhäjärvi → Pyhäsalmi (1993) →
Pyhäjärvi (1996)
France
See also
List of French cities renamed during the Revolution [
fr ]
Most cities had an ancient name, usually in Latin, often of older Celtic origin
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Greenland
Guyana
Wismar-MacKenzie-Christianburg →
Linden
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Rabbath Ammon → Philadelphia → Amman → Ahamant →
Amman
Kerak →
Al-Karak
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Xiang Dong Xiang Thong → Vientiane (1561) → Luang Phra Bang (1695) →
Vientiane
Nakhon Kala Champaknaburisi → Nakhon Champa Nakhaburisi (1713) → Nakhon Champasak (1791) → Champasak [Bassac] (1863) →
Pakse (1908)
Latvia
Lebanon
Heliopolis →
Baalbek
Derbly, Ahlia, Wahlia, Mahallata, Mayza, Kayza, Athar (Phoenician/Assyrian) → Tripolis (Greek, Latin) → Atrabulus, Tarablus al-Sham (Arabic) → Trablusşam (Turkish) →
Tripoli
Libya
Oea →
Tripoli
Euesperides → Berenice → Hesperides → Barneeq → Marsa ibn Ghazi → Bani Ghazi →
Benghazi
Lithuania
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Port Louis → Port de La Montagne (1794) → Port Nord-Ouest (1795) → Port Napoléon (1803) →
Port Louis (1810)
Malaysia
Mexico
Republic of Moldova
Montenegro
Berane → Ivangrad (1949) →
Berane (1992)
Birziminium → Ribnica → Podgorica (1326) → Titograd (1946) →
Podgorica (1992)
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
In many cases, the English name of the city changed due to different
romanization systems, while the Burmese native remained unchanged.
Namibia
Netherlands
North Korea
†Japanese name during
Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945). The Korean name is unchanged.
North Macedonia
Norway
Ánslo → Christiania (1624) →
Oslo (1925)
Kaupangen → Nidaros → Trondhjem → Nidaros →
Trondheim
Fredrikshald →
Halden
Bjørgvin →
Bergen
Pakistan
Peru
Ciudad de los Reyes →
Lima
San Pablo de Napeanos →
Iquitos
Paraguay
Philippines
Poland
1 Cities in western Poland whose names were changed when Poland gained independence from
Germany in 1918.
2 German cities from 1918 to 1939 that became part of Poland after 1945.
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Name change in English due to replacement of older
romanization methods with the
pinyin system. The Chinese name is unchanged.
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
†Japanese name during
Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945). The Korean name is unchanged.
‡Name change in English due to replacement
McCune-Reischauer with the
Revised Romanization method in 2000. The Korean name is unchanged.
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Beroea →
Aleppo
Balanea (Greek, Latin) →
Baniyas (Arabic)
Emesa →
Homs
(H)Amat(h)(a) (Aramean, Assyrian) → Epiphania → Epiphania, Emath(oùs) (Greek) → Hamath →
Hama
Laodicea ad Mare →
Latakia
Palmyra →
Tadmor
Rasaappa, Rasappa, Rasapi (Akadian) → Sergiopolis → Anastasiopolis (Greek, Latin) → Risapa, Rosafa (Latin) →
Resafa (Arabic)
Taiwan
†Chinese name unchanged.
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
United Kingdom
This section
is missing information about renames in Wales.
Please expand the section to include this information. Further details may exist on the
talk page . (April 2024 )
England
Scotland
Northern Ireland
United States
Alaska
Arizona
Swilling's Mill → Hellinwg Mill → Mill City → East Phoenix →
Phoenix
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Alcoa →
Alorton — in
St. Clair County
Allin →
Stanford — in
McLean County
Amity →
Pocohontas — in
Bond County ; name also used for an old plat in
Cornell, Livingston County
Ardmore →
Villa Park — in
DuPage County
Area →
Mundelein — in
Lake County
Athens →
New Athens — in
St. Clair County ; name now used by
Athens, Menard County
Baden →
New Baden — in
Clinton and
St. Clair counties
Beechwood →
Mounds — in
Pulaski County
Benton →
Williamsville — in
Sangamon County
Berrian →
Kewanee — in
Henry County
Blackberry →
Elburn — in
Kane County
Bolton →
Stonefort — in
Saline and
Williamson counties
Bowensburg →
Bowen — in
Hancock County
Bradly City →
Bradley — in
Kankakee County
Butler →
Cherry Valley — in
Winnebago County ; name now used by
Butler, Montgomery County
Camden →
Lincoln — in
Logan County ; name now used by
Camden, Schuyler County
Camden Mills →
Milan — in
Rock Island County
Centerville →
Cuba — in
Fulton County ; name also used for
several other settlements named Centerville
Centerville →
Millstadt — in
St. Clair County ; name also used for
several other settlements named Centerville
Centerville →
Ripley — in
Brown County ; name also used for
several other settlements named Centerville
Centerville →
Woodstock — in
McHenry County ; name also used for
several other settlements named Centerville
Charleston →
Brimfield — in
Peoria County ; name now used by
Charleston, Coles County
Charleston →
St. Charles — in
DuPage and
Kane counties; name now used by
Charleston, Coles County
Charleston →
St. Charles — in
Kane and
DuPage counties; name now used by
Charleston, Coles County
Chatham →
Sterling — in
Whiteside County ; name now used by
Chatham, Sangamon County
Chillicothe →
Indianola — in
Vermilion County ; name now used by
Chillicothe, Peoria County
Clarkesville or Clarksville →
Sciota — in
McDonough County ; name also used for unincorporated
Clarksville, Coles County
Clement →
Huey — in
Clinton County
Clintonville →
South Elgin — in
Kane County
Coloma →
Du Bois — in
Washington County
Concord →
Danvers — in
McLean County ; name now used by
Concord, Morgan County
Crescent →
Crescent City — in
Iroquois County
Crotty →
Seneca — in
Grundy and
LaSalle counties
Dallas →
Indianola — in
Vermilion County
Dement →
Creston — in
Ogle County
Dunleith →
East Dubuque — in
Jo Daviess County
East Chicago Heights →
Ford Heights — in
Cook County
East Wood River →
Wood River — in
Madison County
Elk Hart City →
Elkhart — in
Logan County
Ellsworth →
Lostant — in
LaSalle County ; name now used by
Ellsworth, McLean County
Elyda →
Winnebago — in
Winnebago County
Emporium City →
Mound City — in
Pulaski County
Fairfield →
Mendon — in
Adams County ; name now used by
Fairfield, Wayne County
Fairfield →
Pleasant Hill — in
Pike County ; name now used by
Fairfield, Wayne County
Florence →
Oregon — in
Ogle County ; name now used by
Florence, Pike County
Fordville →
Energy — in
Williamson County
Fordyce →
Gorham — in
Jackson County
Fort Dearborn →
Chicago
Ft. Sheridan →
Highwood — in
Lake County
Georgetown →
Newark — in
Kendall County ; name now used by
Georgetown, Vermilion County
Georgetown →
Steeleville — in
Randolph County ; name now used by
Georgetown, Vermilion County
Glascoe →
Glasford — in
Peoria County
Glendale →
Glendale Heights — in
DuPage County ; name also used for unincorporated
Glendale, Pope County
Grand Cote →
Coulterville — in
Randolph County
Greenfield →
LaMoille — in
Bureau County ; name now used by
Greenfield, Greene County
Grossdale →
Brookfield — in
Cook County
Halidayburg →
Kane — in
Greene County
Hanover →
Metamora — in
Woodford County ; name now used by
Hanover, Jo Daviess County
Harlem →
Forest Park — in
Cook County ; name also used for unincorporated
Harlem, Winnebago County
Harrison →
Cedarville — in
Stephenson County ; name also used for
two unincorporated places named Harrison
Harvester →
Burr Ridge — in
DuPage County
Henderson →
Knoxville — in
Knox Township, Knox County east of Galesburg; name now used by nearby
Henderson, Henderson Township, Knox County north of Galesburg
Hilton →
East Peoria — in
Tazewell County
Howard →
Durand — in
Winnebago County
Howlet →
Riverton — in
Sangamon County
Humphrey →
Tovey — in
Christian County
Huston →
Mulberry Grove — in
Bond County
Illinoistown →
East St. Louis — in
St. Clair County
Independence →
Oakland — in
Coles County
Indiantown →
Tiskilwa — in
Bureau County
Jamestown →
Riverton — in
Sangamon County ; name also used for unincorporated
Jamestown, Clinton County
Juliet →
Joliet — in
Will County
Keokuk Junction →
Golden — in
Adams County
Lane →
Rochelle — in
Ogle County ; name also used for unincorporated
Lane, DeWitt County
Lapier →
Altona — in
Knox County
Laurel Hill →
Table Grove — in
Fulton County
Liberty →
Burnt Prairie — in
White County ; name now used by
Liberty, Adams County
Liberty →
Rockwood — in
Randolph County ; name now used by
other Liberty, Adams County
Little Fort →
Waukegan — in
Lake County
Lodi →
Maple Park — in
Kane County ; also
other communities formerly named Lodi
Lysander →
Pecatonica — in
Winnebago County
Mantua →
Washburn — in
Woodford County
Marysville →
Potomac — in
Vermilion County
Mechanicsburg →
Mascoutah — in
St. Clair County ; name now used by
Mechanicsburg, Sangamon County
Melrose →
Melrose Park — in
Cook County ; name also used for unincorporated
Melrose, Clark County
Middleton →
Iuka — in
Marion County
Midway →
Kansas — in
Edgar County ; name also used for
several unincorporated places named Midway
Mill Creek →
Old Mill Creek — in
Lake County ; name now used by
Mill Creek, Union County
Millersburg →
Pierron — in
Bond and
Madison counties; name also used for unincorporated
Millersburg, Mercer County
Milton →
Humboldt — in
Coles County ; name now used by
Milton, Pike County
Monsanto →
Sauget — in
St. Clair County
Morristown →
New Milford — in
Winnebago County
Mt. Pleasant →
Farmer City — in
DeWitt County
New Liberty →
Willow Hill — in
Jasper County ; name now used by
New Liberty, Pope County
New Rutland →
Rutland — in
LaSalle County
New Salem →
West Salem — in
Edwards County ; also the name of
several unincorporated places named New Salem
Niles Centre →
Skokie — in
Cook County
North Bloomington →
Normal — in
McLean County
Oak Grove →
Green Oaks — in
Lake County ; name now used by
Oak Grove, Rock Island County
Oak Grove Park →
Germantown Hills — in
Woodford County
Oak Grove Park →
Oak Grove — in
Rock Island County
Oakbrook →
Oak Brook — in
DuPage County
Ogle Station →
Ashton — in
Lee County
Park Forest South →
University Park — in
Cook and
Will counties
Pecatonica →
Rockton — in
Rockton Township, Winnebago County ; name now used by
Pecatonica, Pecatonica Township, Winnebago County
Pembroke →
Hopkins Park — in
Kankakee County
Pleasantville →
Ipava — in
Fulton County
Portland →
Blue Island — in
Cook County
Portland →
Oglesby — in
LaSalle County
Postville →
Lincoln — in
Logan County
Prairie City →
Toledo — in
Cumberland County ; name now used by
Prairie City, McDonough County
Prospect Park →
Glen Ellyn — in
DuPage County
Rand →
Des Plaines — in
Cook County
Randall →
East Galesburg — in
Knox County
Rantoul →
Alma — in
Marion County ; name now used by
Rantoul, Champaign County
Reeves →
Cambria — in
Williamson County
Richmond →
Richview — in
Washington County ; name now used by
Richmond, McHenry County
Ridgeville →
Evanston — in
Cook County
Rome →
Dix — in
Jefferson County ; name also used for unincorporated
Rome, Peoria County
Rose Clare →
Rosiclare — in
Hardin County
Saline →
Grantfork — in
Madison County
Schaumburg Center →
Schaumburg — in
Cook County
Sheridan →
Good Hope — in
McDonough County ; name now used by
Sheridan, LaSalle County
Shermerville →
Northbrook — in
Cook County
South Pass →
Cobden — in
Union County
Specialville →
Dixmoor — in
Cook County
Spring Forest →
Willow Springs — in
Cook and
DuPage counties
St. Marye →
Beaverville — in
Iroquois County
Stephenson →
Rock Island — in
Rock Island County
Sunnyside →
Johnsburg — in
McHenry County
Sunrise Ridge →
Wonder Lake — in
McHenry County
Sutton →
Bentley — in
Hancock County ; name also used for unincorporated
Sutton, Cook County
Tazewell →
Spring Bay — in
Woodford County
Tessville →
Lincolnwood — in
Cook County
Turner →
West Chicago — in
DuPage County
Uniontown →
Washburn — in
Woodford County ; name also used for unincorporated
Uniontown, Knox County
Urbana →
Freeburg — in
St. Clair County ; name now used by
Urbana, Champaign County
Utopia →
Oakbrook Terrace — in
DuPage County
Van Buren →
St. Francisville — in
Lawrence County
Victoria →
Phillipstown — in
White County ; name now used by
Victoria, Knox County
Vienna →
Astoria — in
Fulton County ; name now used by
Vienna, Johnson County
Waldron →
Aroma Park — in
Kankakee County
Walnut Grove →
Altona — in
Knox County ; name also used for
unincorporated places named Walnut Grove
Wappello →
Hanover — in
Jo Daviess County
Wau-Bun →
Northfield — in
Cook County
West Hammond →
Calumet City — in
Cook County
Westhaven →
Orland Hills — in
Cook County
Whitfield →
Leland — in
LaSalle County
Wilson →
Illiopolis — in
Sangamon County ; name also used for unincorporated
Wilson, Lake County
Winchester →
Wilmington — in
Will County ; name now used by
Winchester, Scott County
Windsor →
Tiskilwa — in
Bureau County ; name now used by
Windsor, Shelby County and as the usual name for legal
New Windsor, Mercer County
Wiona →
Malden — in
Bureau County
Worcester →
Barry — in
Pike County
Xenia →
Atlanta — in
Logan County ; name now used by
Xenia, Clay County
Yellow Creek →
Pearl City — in
Loran Township, Stephenson County ; name also used for nearby unincorporated
Yellow Creek, Kent Township, Stephenson County
York →
Thomson — in
Carroll County ; name also used for unincorporated
York, Clark County
Young America →
Kirkwood — in
Warren County
[7]
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
*Name used by the
United States Board on Geographic Names from 1891 to 1911. The name used by the city in its official documents and on its seal was unchanged.
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Tourane →
Đà Nẵng
Djiring →
Di Linh
Tống Bình → Long Đỗ → Đại La → Thăng Long → Đông Đô → Đông Kinh → Bắc Thành → Thăng Long → Hà Nội (
Hanoi )
Hai Pho → Faifo →
Hội An
Prey Nokor → Gia Định → Sài Gòn (Saigon) → Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh (
Ho Chi Minh City )
Phu Xuan →
Huế
Ke Van → Ke Vinh → Vinh Giang → Vinh Doanh → Vinh Thi →
Vinh
Zambia
Zimbabwe
See also
Sources and references
^
"Ballarat History" . Archived from
the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013 .
^
"City of Melbourne - History and heritage" . Archived from
the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2012 .
^
"Službene stranice Općine Novi Travnik - O Novom Travniku" . www.ont.gov.ba .
^
"Repulse Bay to officially change name to Naujaat July 2 | CBC News" .
^
"Fisher Fields" .
^
"Службен весник на НРМ, 31/36" (PDF) .
^
"Name Index to Illinois Local Governments" . Illinois State Archive .
Springfield, Illinois :
Illinois Secretary of State . Retrieved 1 August 2017 .
^
"Robbinsville History" . www.robbinsville-twp.org . Retrieved 31 January 2018 .
^
"Handbook of Texas" . Tshaonline.org. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2013 .
^ *Jasinski, Laurie E. (1 September 2006)
"Frisco, Texas."
^
"Between the Forks | Irving, TX - Official Website" . City of Irving – Irving Archives .
^
[1] Spanish Texas, Texas State Historical Society: The Handbook of Texas Online
^ Patoski, Joe Nick "It's Just Different Here",
Preservation , July/August 2010, page 38
^ Laura Arksey (3 October 2009),
"Spokane Falls (later renamed Spokane) is incorporated as a first-class city on November 29, 1881." ,
HistoryLink , Seattle: History Ink, The original Act of Incorporation spelled the city's name correctly, but the territorial printing office incorrectly spelled it as Spokan Falls, a phonetic spelling that was used elsewhere during the period, including on the 1880 census. This spelling was also used for Spokane's first newspaper, the Spokan Times.
^
"Name changes and rows" .