The Pacific island nation of Nauru is preparing to decide whether to formally adopt “Naoero,” the Indigenous name used by its people, in a move that government leaders say would better reflect the country’s cultural heritage, language and national identity.

President David Adeang announced the proposal in a speech to parliament in January, describing the change as an effort to align the country’s official name with the term used by Nauruans in their own language. Parliament subsequently approved the proposal without opposition, paving the way for a national referendum that will determine whether the change becomes official.

If approved, the country would become known internationally as Naoero, pronounced “Now-ero,” replacing Nauru, commonly pronounced “Now-roo.” Government officials have argued that the existing name originated from historical adaptations made by foreign administrators and visitors who struggled to pronounce the Indigenous name correctly.

According to the government, the original name was altered over time because it could not be easily rendered by foreign speakers. Officials have said the current spelling was not adopted by the choice of the island’s inhabitants but emerged through colonial-era administrative practices.The proposed change would represent the latest chapter in the history of a nation that has undergone several name transitions over more than two centuries.

Located approximately 3,000 kilometers northeast of Australia, the island covers about 21 square kilometers, making it one of the world’s smallest sovereign states. Its population is estimated at around 13,000 people.The island first entered European records in 1798 when a British seafarer named it “Pleasant Island,” reportedly impressed by its landscape and the hospitality of its inhabitants.

After Germany annexed the territory in 1888, the name “Nauru” became established in official documentation, although other variants, including “Nawodo” and “Navoda Onawero,” were also recorded during different periods.Following World War I, Australia assumed primary administrative responsibility for the island under a League of Nations mandate beginning in 1919.

The Australian administration retained the spelling “Nauru,” and that designation remained in place after the country achieved independence in 1968. In the early 2000s, Nauru also became internationally known as the location of an Australian offshore immigration detention center.Researchers who study Indigenous place names say such renaming efforts often reflect broader questions about history, sovereignty and cultural recognition.

Zoltán Grossman, a professor of geography and Native American studies at Evergreen State College in the United States, said changing place names has historically been linked to colonial authority and control over territory.Grossman said colonial administrations frequently altered local names, diminishing the visibility of Indigenous peoples and cultures.

In his view, contemporary efforts to restore original names are often connected to broader assertions of self-determination and political identity.The Nauruan government has cited several international precedents in support of the proposal. These include Türkiye’s adoption of its preferred international name in place of the English-language “Turkey,” Eswatini’s replacement of the colonial-era name Swaziland, and the Micronesian state of Chuuk, which was widely referred to internationally as Truk until 1990.

Scholars also point to similar developments in other regions. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, several countries adopted spellings and names more closely aligned with local languages and identities. India has likewise renamed numerous cities and states since independence as part of efforts to reflect Indigenous and regional linguistic traditions.

Jordan Engel, founder of the Decolonial Atlas project, which documents Indigenous place names around the world, said there has been growing interest globally in restoring ancestral names to places and landmarks. According to Engel, the use of Indigenous names can strengthen cultural continuity and support the preservation of traditional languages.The issue, however, remains politically sensitive in many countries.

Debates over official place names have generated controversy in several jurisdictions where Indigenous and colonial naming traditions coexist. In New Zealand, proposals to increase official use of the Māori name Aotearoa have attracted public support but have also prompted political disagreements. The Cook Islands has similarly experienced periodic debate over whether to retain a name associated with British explorer James Cook.

For many Nauruans, the discussion centers on cultural identity rather than political transformation. Arcmen Willis, a wrestler who has represented the country in international competition, supports the proposed change and said he hopes people outside the island will learn to pronounce the Indigenous name correctly.

Willis said preserving national identity was important and expressed support for efforts to increase recognition of the country’s original name. At the same time, he emphasized that the proposal would not alter the daily lives of citizens, describing it primarily as a change in how the country is represented internationally.

The debate has also drawn attention to the future of the Nauruan language, officially known as dorerin Naoero. UNESCO classifies the language as “severely endangered.” While it continues to be spoken within families and communities, it is not taught in schools, raising concerns among language preservation advocates about its long-term survival.

Supporters of the name change argue that adopting Naoero could contribute to broader language revitalization efforts by increasing the visibility of the Indigenous language in official and international settings. Advocates say symbolic measures can reinforce cultural awareness and encourage future generations to maintain linguistic traditions.Even before any referendum result, elements of the proposed transition are already visible.

The name Naoero has been adopted by several public institutions, including the national postal service, health service and utility provider. Australia’s High Commission has also begun using both Nauru and Naoero in public communications.

The referendum is expected to determine whether the country formally adopts the Indigenous name in domestic law and international usage, marking a significant moment in the Pacific nation’s ongoing effort to define how it presents its history, language and identity to the world.