Nauru changes official English name to Naoero

Nauru, a remote island nation in the South Pacific and the world's third-smallest country by population, is reverting to its traditional name, Naoero, and its inhabitants will now be known as Dei-Naoero. The international country code will also change from NRU to NRO.

The government announced the decision via its Facebook page, explaining that the island became known as Nauru primarily because the local name was difficult for foreigners to pronounce. This change is intended to honor the nation's heritage, language, and identity, according to President David Adeang, who proposed the constitutional amendment in January.

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The essence of the proposed change is to more accurately respect our country's heritage, our language, and our identity.

Lawmakers approved the amendment, though it remains unclear if the constitution has been officially amended. The move signifies a renewal of national pride, Adeang stated. While a referendum was initially considered, the government decided it was unnecessary, as the name "Naoero" has never been lost and is already part of the national identity, appearing on the national emblem and used by community members.

This renaming echoes similar decisions by other nations seeking to reclaim their heritage. Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) returned to its old name in 2018. Turkey also requested the United Nations in 2022 to refer to the country as Türkiye, to avoid associations with the English word for the bird "turkey."

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Although the purpose of a referendum is to ascertain the will of the people, the name 'Naoero' has never been lost; rather, it has been waiting to be fully embraced.