Cities, Nicknames & Places22 Concepts & Facts

Why Cities Have Multiple Names: Toponymy, Colonial History & Renaming

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In toponymy (the scientific study of place names), historical geography, and cultural politics, the reality that prominent global and Indian cities bear more than one name reflects layers of civilizational conquest, linguistic translation, post-colonial emancipation, and political revolutions. When travellers and scholars encounter Varanasi (also known as Banaras and Kashi), Istanbul (historically Byzantium and Constantinople), or Mumbai (formerly anglicized as Bombay), they are observing the living sediment of historical eras. City names are not static administrative labels; they are contested cultural symbols that encapsulate power, heritage, and the evolving identity of governing societies.

A primary catalyst for multiple city names is Post-Colonial De-anglicization and the restoration of indigenous vernacular nomenclature. During European colonial expansion, imperial administrators frequently corrupt, shorten, or phonetically mispronounce local native names to suit European tongues. Following national independence, newly sovereign democracies often pass statutory legislation restoring historical, pre-colonial names to reclaim cultural heritage. In India, this movement resulted in major administrative renamings: Bombay reverted to its indigenous Marathi name Mumbai in 1995 (honoring the local patron deity Mumbadevi); Madras became Chennai in 1996 (derived from the historic township Chennapatnam); Calcutta was restored to Kolkata in 2001; Bangalore became Bengaluru in 2014; and Trivandrum was officially restored as Thiruvananthapuram in 1991.

Beyond post-colonial reclamation, multiple city names arise from Imperial Transitions, Multilingual Federations, and Transliteration Standardization. Major historical regime changes frequently discard imperial names to commemorate political revolutions: the ancient Greek colony of Byzantium was renamed Constantinople in 330 CE by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, before the Turkish Republic officially codified its vernacular name Istanbul in 1930. In multilingual federations, cities legally possess distinct official names in each official language: the capital of Belgium is simultaneously Bruxelles in French and Brussel in Dutch, while Switzerland's international diplomacy hub is known as Genève in French, Genf in German, and Ginevra in Italian. Similarly, China's capital transformed in international orthography from "Peking" (based on old Postal Romanization) to "Beijing" following the international adoption of the Pinyin phonetic transliteration system in 1979.

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Toponymy is the scientific study of place names, their etymological origins, and their cultural significance.

Cities acquire multiple names through colonial anglicization, post-colonial reclamation, multilingualism, and political revolutions.

Colonial authorities often anglicized native names because indigenous phonetics were difficult for European tongues to pronounce.

In 1995, Bombay was officially renamed Mumbai to honor Mumbadevi, the guardian deity of native Koli fishing communities.

In 1996, Madras was renamed Chennai, derived from the historical seventeenth-century settlement of Chennapatnam.

In 2001, Calcutta was renamed Kolkata, aligning official English spelling with the native Bengali pronunciation.

In 2014, the Union Government approved renaming 12 Karnataka cities, including Bangalore to Bengaluru and Mysore to Mysuru.

Varanasi bears multiple ancient names: Kashi ('City of Light' in Vedic texts) and Banaras (Pali/vernacular corruption).

Istanbul holds a famous triple-name history: founded as Byzantium (657 BCE), renamed Constantinople (330 CE), and Istanbul (1930).

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The Turkish Postal Law of 1930 formally barred mail addressed to 'Constantinople', enforcing the name Istanbul internationally.

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In multilingual Belgium, the capital city is legally called Bruxelles in French and Brussel in Dutch.

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Switzerland's Geneva is officially Genève in French, Genf in German, and Ginevra in Italian across official state communications.

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The transformation of 'Peking' to 'Beijing' in 1979 reflected the adoption of the Pinyin phonetic romanization system by China.

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Saint Petersburg was renamed Petrograd in 1914, Leningrad in 1924 under Soviet rule, and restored to Saint Petersburg in 1991.

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Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in 1976 following the reunification of Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War.

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Renaming cities in India requires a formal resolution by the State Cabinet and a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from MHA.

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) consults the Survey of India, Ministry of Railways, and Postal Department before granting an NOC.

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An Exonym is an external name given by foreigners (e.g., Rome), while an Endonym is the native local name (e.g., Roma).

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Some cities retain dual names colloquially: New York is formally the City of New York, affectionately called 'Gotham' or 'The Big Apple'.

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Religious traditions also generate dual names; Jerusalem is Yerushalayim in Hebrew and Al-Quds ('The Holy') in Arabic.

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Renaming railway stations, airports, and legal documentation generates significant administrative expenditure for municipal authorities.

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Multiple city names provide rich historical roadmaps documenting successive dynasties, linguistic shifts, and political transformations.

Subject Specialist Commentary

Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board

Educator's Insight

Cities often carry multiple names due to historical conquests, linguistic shifts, and post-colonial identity reclamation. Colonial rulers frequently anglicized native place names, prompting modern states to restore traditional forms, such as renaming Bombay to Mumbai and Madras to Chennai. Other cities reflect shifting empires; for example, modern Istanbul was originally Byzantium and later Constantinople before adopting its Turkish name in 1930.

For UPSC Polity and competitive exams, understand the legal procedure for renaming places in India. A city name change begins with a State Cabinet resolution but requires a mandatory No Objection Certificate from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The Home Ministry consults Railways, Posts, and the Survey of India before approving changes. In general awareness tests, questions also test international toponymy, such as Saint Petersburg becoming Leningrad and later reverting.

Why Cities Have Multiple Names: Toponymy, Colonial History & Renaming

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