Names of places may seem permanent, but they’re not. Did you know that New York City has had several names? The area that we know as Manhattan today was originally inhabited by the Lenape. They called the island Manahatta. When Dutch settlers claimed the island in 1624, they named the area New Amsterdam. In 1664, the British seized control of the settlement and renamed it New York.
Name changes happen in other parts of the world, too. Have you heard of Istanbul? It’s a city in Turkey that has been around for a very long time. In the year 330, Roman Emperor Constantine the Great named it Constantinople. The name was officially changed to Istanbul in 1930.
Place names may change for different reasons. New names can reflect political, cultural, and historical changes. Nations may change place names as a way to claim national identity when they become independent. They may choose traditional names to honor the Indigenous peoples of a region. Sometimes leaders change place names to build national pride. Sometimes they do it to show their power.
Alaska is home to the tallest mountain in North America. This mountain was officially named Mount McKinley in 1917. Mount McKinley was named in honor of President William McKinley. But the Native people who live on and around the mountain have their own names for it. In 2015, President Barack Obama officially changed the mountain’s name to Denali. Denali means “the great one” in the Athabascan language.
In January 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order changing the name back to Mount McKinley. Trump’s order says this name change “honors President McKinley for giving his life for our great Nation and dutifully recognizes his historic legacy of protecting America’s interests and generating enormous wealth for all Americans.” But not everyone agrees. Both houses of the Alaska State Legislature have adopted resolutions to keep the name Denali. Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski has introduced legislation that would officially maintain Denali as the mountain’s name. She said, “This massive mountain commands a reverent name, a steadfast name. Not the name of an individual. . . . Once you see it in person, and take in the majesty of its size and breathe in its cold air, you can understand why the Koyukon Athabascans referred to it as ‘The Great One.’”
Much of the southern United States is bordered by a large body of water. The Gulf, as many people call it, touches Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. It also borders the nations of Mexico and Cuba. This body of water has been known as the Gulf of Mexico since it was first named on a world map in the 1500s. Trump’s executive order changes its name to the Gulf of America.
Supporters of the change believe that the new name reflects US influence and power in the region. However, not everyone is in favor of the new name. Critics argue that renaming the Gulf does nothing to address real problems. Some people also fear that the change could damage diplomatic relations with Mexico. In fact, a national survey found that only 29% of US adults supported changing the name of the Gulf, while 71% were against it.
What Do You Think? Do you think these changes are a good idea? Why or why not?
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