English exonyms

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An English exonym is a name in the English language for a place (a toponym), or occasionally other terms, which does not follow the local usage (the endonym). Exonyms and endonyms are features of all languages, and other languages may have their own exonym for English endonyms, for example Llundain is the Welsh exonym for the English endonym "London".

Contents

Romanization, or transcription of a non-Latin alphabet endonym into a Latin alphabet, is not generally regarded as creating exonyms: "The application of any scientifically sound romanization system to a non-Roman endonym merely re-creates that original endonym in another legitimate form" (Päll, 2002). [1] [2] However old romanization systems may leave a legacy of "familiar" spellings, as in the case of, for example, romanization of Burmese. [3] This affects romanization of Arabic, romanization of Chinese, and many other non-Latin alphabet place names.

Translations of non-proper nouns such as "river" and "lake" also do not qualify as exonyms.

A less common form of exonym is usage for names and titles. Personal exonyms are typically limited to regnal names such as popes (John Paul II) and monarchs (Charles V); less commonly, well-known historical authors (John Calvin, for French Jean Calvin) are referred to by exonyms. The list does not include the list of English translated personal names.

General

This section lists English-language exonyms that are for places located in multiple countries, English names of countries, and typical patterns.

Countries and territories

The following is a list of countries and territories whose names in local languages differ from their (non-local) English ones. The list includes countries with limited recognition, autonomous territories of sovereign countries, and fully sovereign countries.

Country names are listed in their short form, and do not include names spelled identically in English. Near-identical names in pronunciation or spelling are included, but countries named with non-proper nouns (like Central African Republic or United Arab Emirates) are not. It is debatable whether the mere omission of a diacritical mark (as in several instances in the table below) creates an exonym.

The languages listed are official languages and/or prominent local languages, except if the name for the associated country is spelled the same as in English. Languages in italics are no longer spoken in the given country, but the name listed retains some use.

Likewise, exonyms in italics are obsolete or are disputed.

Countries and territories
English nameEndonymLanguage
Flag of the Republic of Abkhazia.svg Abkhazia Aṗsny (Аԥсны) Abkhaz
Abkhaziya (Абхазия) Russian
Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan Afġānestān (افغانستان) Dari
Afġānistān (افغانستان) Pashto
Flag of Albania.svg Albania Shqipëri(a) Standard Albanian
Shqipyni(a) Gheg Albanian
Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria Al-Dzāyīr (الدزاير) Maghrebi Arabic
Al-Jazā'ir (الجزائر) Standard Arabic
Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia Hayastan (Հայաստան) Armenian
Flag of Austria.svg Austria Österreich Standard German
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan Azərbaycan Azeri
Flag of Bahrain.svg Bahrain Al-Baḥrayn (البحرين) Standard Arabic
Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh বাংলাদেশ (Bangladesh) Bengali
Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus Byelarus’ (Беларусь) Belarusian
Russian
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium België Dutch
Belgien Standard German
Belgique French
Flag of Benin.svg Benin Bénin
Flag of Bhutan.svg Bhutan Druk Yul (འབྲུག་ཡུལ་) Dzongkha
Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Mborivia Guarani
Puliwya Quechua
Wuliwya Aymara
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia & Herzegovina Bosna & Hercegovina (Босна & Херцеговина) Bosnian
Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil Brasil Portuguese
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria Balgariya (България) Bulgarian
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso Burkĩna Faso Mossi
Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi Uburundi Kirundi
Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia Kampuciə (កម្ពុជា) Khmer
Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon Cameroun French
Kamerun Fula
Flag of Cape Verde.svg Cape Verde Cabo Verde Portuguese
Kabu Verdi Cape Verdean Creole
Flag of Chad.svg Chad Tchad French
Tshād (تشاد) Standard Arabic
Flag of Chile.svg Chile Chili Aymara
Chli Mapudungun
Chili Quechua
Tire Rapa Nui
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Zhōngguó (中国) Mandarin
Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Colombia Spanish
Flag of the Comoros.svg Comoros Comores French
Juzur Al-Qamar (جزر القمر) Standard Arabic
Komori Comorian
Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Brazzaville Kongó Lingala
Kôngo-Balazvile Kongo
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Kinshasa Kongo Luba-Katanga
Kongó-Kinsásá Lingala
Kôngo Kongo
Kongu Swahili
Flag of the Cook Islands.svg Cook Islands Kūki 'Āirani Cook Islands Maori
Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia Hrvatska Croatian
Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus Kıbrıs Turkish
Kýpros (Κύπρος) Greek
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic, CzechiaČeská republika, Česko Czech
Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark Danmark Danish
Flag of Djibouti.svg Djibouti Jabuuti Somali
Jībūtī (جيبوتي) Standard Arabic
Yibuuti Afar
Flag of Dominica.svg Dominica Dominique French
Wai'tu kubuli Island Carib
Flag of East Timor.svg East Timor Timor-Leste Portuguese
Timór Lorosa'e Tetum
Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador Ekuatur Shuar
Ikwayur Quechua
Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt Maṣr (مَصر) Egyptian Arabic
Miṣr (مِصر) Standard Arabic
Flag of Eritrea.svg Eritrea Ertra (ኤርትራ) Tigrinya
‘Iritriyā (إرتريا) Standard Arabic
Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia Eesti Estonian
Flag of Ethiopia.svg Ethiopia Itiyoophiyaa Afar
Itoobiya Somali
Itoophiyaa Oromo
ʾĪtyōṗṗyā (ኢትዮጵያ) Amharic
Tigrinya
Flag of Fiji.svg Fiji Fijī (फ़िजी) Fiji Hindi
Viti Fijian
Flag of Finland.svg Finland Suomi Finnish
Flag of France.svg France France French
Flag of The Gambia.svg Gambia Gámbi Wolof
Kambiya Mandinka
Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia Sakartvelo (საქართველო) Georgian
Flag of Germany.svg Germany Deutschland Standard German
Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana Gaana Twi
Flag of Greece.svg Greece Elládha (Ελλάδα) Greek
Flag of Grenada.svg Grenada La Gwenad Grenadian Creole
Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau Guiné-Bissau Portuguese
Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea-ConakryGinea-Conakry Fula
Guinée-Conakry French
Flag of Haiti.svg Haiti Ayiti Haitian Creole
Haïti French
Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg Honduras Honduras Spanish
Flag of Hong Kong.svg Hong Kong Xiānggǎng Chinese
Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary Magyarország Hungarian
Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland Ísland Icelandic
Flag of India.svg India Bhaaratham (ഭാരതം) Malayalam
Bhārat (भारत) Marathi
Dogri
Hindi
Maithili
Nepali
Bhārat (ભારત) Gujarati
Bhārat (بًارت \ भारत) Kashmiri
Bhārat (بھارت \ ਭਾਰਤ) Punjabi
Bhārat (ڀارت \ भारत) Sindhi
Bhārat (بھارت) Urdu
Bhārata (ಭಾರತ) Kannada
Bhāratam (भारतम्) Sanskrit
Bhārathadeśaṁ (భారతదేశం) Telugu
Bhāratham (பாரதம்) Tamil
Bharot (भारत) Konkani
Bhārot (ভারত) Bengali
Bhārôt (ভাৰত) Assamese
Meitei
Bhārôt (भारत) Bodo
Bhārôtô (ଭାରତ) Odia
Siñôt (ᱥᱤᱧᱚᱛ) Santali
Flag of Iran.svg Iran Irān (ایران) Persian
Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq Al-'Irāq (اَلْعِرَاق) Standard Arabic
Êraq (عێراق) Kurdish
Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Éire Irish
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Isrā'īl (إِسْرَائِيل) Standard Arabic
Yisraél (ישראל) Hebrew
Flag of Italy.svg Italy Italia Standard Italian
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Ivory Coast Côte d'Ivoire French
Flag of Japan.svg Japan Nihon / Nippon (日本) Japanese
Flag of Jordan.svg Jordan Al-'Urdunn (الأردن) Standard Arabic
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan Qazaqstan (Қазақстан) Kazakh
Flag of Kosovo.svg Kosovo Kosovë Albanian
Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait Al-Kuwait (الكويت) Standard Arabic
il-Ikwēt (الكويت) Gulf Arabic
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan Kırǧızstan (Кыргызстан) Kyrgyz
Flag of Laos.svg Laos Lāo (ລາວ) Lao
Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia Latvija Latvian
Lețmō Livonian
Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon Ləbnēn (لبنان) Levantine Arabic
Lubnān (لبنان) Standard Arabic
Flag of Libya.svg Libya Lībiyā (ليبيا)
Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania Lietuva Lithuanian
Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Lëtzebuerg Luxembourgish
Luxemburg Standard German
Flag of Madagascar.svg Madagascar Madagasikara Malagasy
Flag of Malawi.svg Malawi Malaŵi Chewa
Tumbuka
Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia Mǎláixīyà (马来西亚) Mandarin
Flag of Maldives.svg Maldives Dhivehi Raajje (ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ ) Dhivehi
Flag of Mali.svg Mali Mālī (مالي) Standard Arabic
Flag of the Marshall Islands.svg Marshall Islands Aorōkin M̧ajeļ Marshallese
Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania Agawej Berber
Cengiṭ
Gànnaar Wolof
Mauritanie French
Moritani Pulaar
Mūrītānyā (موريتانيا) Standard Arabic
Murutaane Soninke
Flag of Mauritius.svg Mauritius Maurice French
Moris Mauritian Creole
Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico México Spanish
Mēxihco Nahuatl
Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova Moldaviya (Молдавия) Russian
Flag of Monaco.svg Monaco Mónegue Occitan
Mùnegu Ligurian
Flag of Mongolia.svg Mongolia Mongol Uls (Монгол Улс) Mongolian
Flag of Montenegro.svg Montenegro Crna Gora (Црна Гора) Montenegrin
Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco Al-Maġrib (المغرب) Standard Arabic
lmeɣrib (ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ) Standard Moroccan Tamazight
Maroc French
Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique Moçambique Portuguese
Msumbiji Swahili
Mozambiki Chewa
Muzambhiki Tsonga
Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar Myǎma (မြန်မာ) Burmese
Flag of Namibia.svg Namibia Namibië Afrikaans
Flag of Nauru.svg Nauru Naoero Nauruan
Flag of Nepal.svg   Nepal Nepāl (नेपाल) Nepali
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Nederland Dutch
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Aotearoa Maori
Flag of Niger.svg Niger Al-Nayjar (النيجر) Standard Arabic
Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria Naìjíríyà Igbo
Naìjíríyà Yoruba
Najeriya Hausa
Flag of Niue.svg Niue Niuē Niuean
Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea Chosŏn (조선) Korean
Flag of North Macedonia.svg North Macedonia Maqedonia e Veriut Albanian
Severna Makedonija (Северна Македонија) Macedonian
Flag of Norway.svg Norway Nöörja Southern Sami
Noreg Norwegian Nynorsk
Norga Northern Sami
Norge Norwegian Bokmål
Vuodna Lule Sami
Flag of Oman.svg Oman 'Umān (عمان) Standard Arabic
Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan Pākistān (پاکِستان) Urdu
Flag of Palau.svg Palau Belau Palauan
Parao (パラオ) Japanese
Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine Filasṭīn (فلسطين) Standard Arabic
Flag of Panama.svg Panama Panamá Spanish
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Papua New Guinea Papua Niu Gini Hiri Motu
Papua Niugini Tok Pisin
Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay Paraguái Guarani
Paraguay Spanish
Flag of Peru.svg Peru Perú
Piruw Aymara
Quechua
Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines Pilipinas Tagalog
Flag of Poland.svg Poland Polska Polish
Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal Portugal Portuguese
Flag of Qatar.svg Qatar Giṭar (قطر) Gulf Arabic
Qaṭar (قطر) Standard Arabic
Flag of Romania.svg Romania România Romanian
Flag of Russia.svg Russia Rossíya (Росси́я) Russian
Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Christopher and Nevis English
Flag of Samoa.svg Samoa Sāmoa Samoan
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia al-Suʿūdiyya (ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة) Standard Arabic
Flag of Senegal.svg Senegal Senegaal Wolof
Sénégal French
Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia Srbija Serbian
Flag of Seychelles.svg Seychelles Sesel Seychellois Creole
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore Ciṅkappūr (சிங்கப்பூர்) Tamil
Singapura Malay
Xīnjiāpō (新加坡) Mandarin
Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia Slovensko Slovak
Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia Slovenija Slovene
Flag of Somalia.svg Somalia aṣ-Ṣūmāl (الصومال) Standard Arabic
Soomaaliya Somali
Flag of Somaliland.svg Somaliland Ṣūmālīlānd (صوماليلاند) Standard Arabic
Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea Hanguk (한국) Korean
Flag of South Sudan.svg South Sudan Paguot Thudän Dinka
Flag of South Ossetia.svg South Ossetia Alaniya (Алания) Russian
Allonston (Аллонстон) Ossetian
Flag of Spain.svg Spain Espainia Basque
España Galician
Spanish
Espanha Occitan
Espanya Catalan
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka Ilaṅkai (இலங்கை) Tamil
Śrī Laṁkā (ශ්‍රී ලංකා) Sinhala
Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan as-Sūdān (السودان) Standard Arabic
Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Sverige Swedish
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Helvetia Latin
Schweiz Standard German
Suisse French
Svizra Romansh
Svizzera Standard Italian
Flag of Syria (2025-).svg Syria Sūriyā (سوريا) Standard Arabic
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan Tâiuân (臺灣) Hokkien
Táiwān (臺灣) Mandarin
Taywan Amis
Tǒivǎn (臺灣) Hakka
Flag of Tajikistan.svg Tajikistan Tojikiston (Тоҷикистон) Tajik
Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand Pratheṣ̄thịy (ประเทศไทย) Thai
Flag of Transnistria (state).svg Transnistria Nistrenia (Нистрения) Romanian
Pridnestrovye (Приднестровье) Russian
Prydnistrovya (Придністров'я) Ukrainian
Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia Tunest Berber
Tunisie French
Tūnis (تونس) Standard Arabic
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Türkiye Turkish
Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Turkmenistan Türkmenistan Turkmen
Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda Yuganda Luganda
Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine Ukrajina (Україна) Ukrainian
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Uzbekistan Oʻzbekiston (Ўзбекистон) Uzbek
Flag of Vatican City (2023-present).svg Vatican City Stato della Città del Vaticano Standard Italian
Status Civitatis Vaticanae Latin
Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam Việt Nam Vietnamese
Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen Al-Yaman (اَلْيَمَنُ) Standard Arabic

Other territories

The following is a list of other territories/regions which are not deemed as countries or sovereign states.

Other territories
English nameEndonymLanguage
Flag of Alsace.svg Alsace Elsass German
Elsàss Alsatian
Flag of the Basque Country.svg Basque Country País Vasco Spanish
Euskadi Basque
Flag of Bavaria (lozengy).svg Bavaria Bayern German
Boarn Bavarian
Flag of Bohemia.svg Bohemia Čechy Czech
Böhmen German
Flag of Brittany (Gwenn ha du).svg Brittany Bretagne French
Breizh Breton
Flag of Catalonia.svg Catalonia Catalunya Catalan
Cataluña Spanish
Flag of Cornwall.svg Cornwall Kernow Cornish
Flag of Corsica.svg Corsica Corse French
Flag of Crimea.svg Crimea Krym (Крым) Russian
Krym (Крим) Ukrainian
Qırım Crimean Tatar
Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg Faroe Islands Færøerne Danish
Føroyar Faroese
Flag of Flanders.svg Flanders Vlaanderen Dutch
Frisian flag.svg Friesland Fryslân Frisian
Flag of Galicia.svg Galicia Galiza Galician
Flag of Greenland.svg Greenland Grønland Danish
Kalaallit Nunaat Greenlandic
Flag of Hawaii.svg Hawaii Hawai‘i Hawaiian
POL Kaszuby flag.svg Kashubia Kaszuby Polish
Kaszëbë Kashubian
Flag of Kurdistan.svg Kurdistan Kurdistan (کوردستان) Sorani Kurdish
Kurdistān (كردستان) Arabic
Persian
Kürdistan Turkish
K’urdistan (Քուրդիստան) Armenian
Kurdıstan Zazaki
Flag of Lombardy.svg Lombardy Lombardia Italian
Banner of arms of Moravia.svg Moravia Morava Czech
Mähren German
Flag of Normandie.svg Normandy Normandie French
Normaundie Norman
Ulster Banner.svg Northern Ireland Tuaisceart Éireann Irish
Norlin Airlann Ulster Scots
Flag of Occitania (with star).svg Occitania Occitanie French
Occitània Occitan
Flag of Piedmont.svg Piedmont Piemonte Italian
Piemont Piedmontese
POL wojewodztwo pomorskie flag.svg Pomerania Pomorze Polish
Pommern German
Flag of Quebec.svg Quebec Québec French
Flag of Sardinia.svg Sardinia Sardegna Italian
Sardigna Sardinian
Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland Alba Scottish Gaelic
Flag of Sicily (revised).svg Sicily Sicilia Italian
Sicilian
Flagge Preussen - Provinz Schlesien.svg Silesia Śląsk Polish
Slezsko Czech
Ślōnsk Silesian
Schlesien German
Flag of Tibet.svg Tibet Xīzàng (西藏) Mandarin
Böd (བོད) Tibetan
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Wales Cymru Welsh
Flag of Wallonia.svg Wallonia Wallonie French

Specific countries

Albania

Flag of Albania.svg Albania Shqipëria
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Durazzo Durrës Albanian Dated, Italian name
Tirana Tiranë Albanian Tirana is Albanian for "the Tirana"

Algeria

Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria Al-Jazā'ir (الجزائر)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Algiers Al-Jazā'ir (الجَزائر) Standard Arabic
Constantine Qusanṭīnah (قسنطينة)
Oran Wahrān (وَهران)

Name of the country and its capital city in Arabic, Al-Jazā'ir (الجزائر), is Arabic for "the islands". [4]

Armenia

Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia Hayastan (Հայաստան)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Ararat Plain Araratyan dasht (Արարատյան դաշտ) Armenian
Iğdır Ovası Turkish
Yerevan Erevan (Երևան) Armenian Armenian place pronounced like English name

Australia

Most places in Australia have additional names in various indigenous Australian languages.

Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Ayers Rock Uluru Pitjantjatjara Dated
Rose Hill Parramatta Dharug Archaic
Tasmania Lutruwita Nuenonne / Palawa kani

Austria

Flag of Austria.svg Austria Österreich
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Ammergau Alps Ammergebirge [5] German
Bavarian Prealps Bayerische Voralpen [5]
Brenner Pass Brennerpass [5]
Carinthia Kärnten [6] [5]
Carpathian Basin Karpatenbecken [5]
Danube riverDonau [6]
Drava Drau [5]
DraveDated
Lake Constance Bodensee [6] [5]
Northern Limestone Alps Nördliche Kalkalpen [5]
Southern Limestone Alps Südliche Kalkalpen [5]
Styria Steiermark [6] [5]
Tyrol Tirol [5]
Vienna Wien [6]
Wetterstein Wettersteingebirge [5]

Azerbaijan

Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan Azərbaycan
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Baku Bakı Azeri
Barda Bərdə
Caucasus Qafqaz
Ganja Gəncə
Lachin Laçın
Sumgait Sumqayıt

Belarus

Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus (Беларус)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bielorussia, ByelorussiaBelorussiaBelarusian, Russianobsolete
White Russia

Belgium

Historically, English borrowed French names for many places in Dutch-speaking areas of Belgium. With a few exceptions this practice is no longer followed by most sources. [7]

Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium België/ Belgique
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Antwerp Antwerpen Dutch
Bruges BruggeFrench name
Brussels Brussel
Bruxelles French
Courtrai Kortrijk Dutch Archaic, French name
Filford Vilvoorde Archaic
Flanders Vlaanderen
GauntGentArchaic
Ghent
Louvain Leuven Archaic, French name
Mechlin Mechelen Archaic
Ostend Oostende
Wallonia Wallonie French
Ypres Ieper Dutch French name

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg Bosnia & Herzegovina Bosna & Hercegovina (Босна & Херцеговина)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bosnia Bosna (Босна) Bosnian
Herzegovina Hercegovina (Херцеговина)German spelling, English name pronounced the same
Narenta Neretva (Неретва)Italian name, sometimes used in English

Bulgaria

Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria Balgariya (България)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Balkan Mountains Stara Planina (Стара Планина) Bulgarian
Danube riverDunav (Дунав)
Philippopolis Plovdiv (Пловдив)Archaic
Rhodope Mountains Rodopi (Родопи)
Sofia Sofiya (София)
Southern Dobruja Dobrudzha (Добруджа)Bulgarian half of former Dobruja region
Thrace Trakiya (Тракия)

Canada

Numerous places in the predominantly French speaking province of Quebec have historically had English exonyms; in most cases, the exonym was a straight translation of the place's French name, with only one major city[ which? ] which ever had an English exonym that was entirely different from its original French name. With a few exceptions, such as Quebec City, these are no longer widely used. Exonyms are also commonly seen with regard to First Nations and Inuit peoples and communities; although government and media sources have evolved in recent years toward using these places' native endonyms, common usage may still favour the older exonyms.

Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Arctic Red River Tsiigehtchic Gwich'in Archaic
Big Trout Lake Kitchenuhmaykoosib Oji-Cree
Cambridge Bay Iqaluktuuttiaq Inuinnaqtun
Chesterfield Inlet Igluligaarjuk (ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᒃ) Inuktitut
Fort Franklin Délįnę Sahtu Archaic
Fort Hope Eabametoong Ojibwe
Fort Norman Tulita Sahtu Archaic
Fraserville Rivière-du-Loup French
Frobisher Bay Iqaluit (ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ) Inuktitut
Gjoa Haven Uqsuqtuuq (ᐅᖅᓱᖅᑑᖅ)
Holman Ulukhaktok Inuinnaqtun Archaic
Harrington Lake Lac Mousseau French
Iroquois River Rivière Richelieu Archaic
Island of Orleans Île d'Orléans
Lansdowne House Neskantaga Oji-Cree
Mount Royal Mont-Royal French
Quebec City Québec
Queen Charlotte Island Haida Gwaii Haida Archaic
Rankin Inlet Kangiqliniq (ᑲᖏᕿᓂᖅ) Inuktitut
Saint Andrew Saint-André-d'Argenteuil French Archaic
Saint John Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu
Summer Beaver Nibinamik (ᓃᐱᓇᒥᐦᐠ) Ojibwe
The River Ouse La Rivière Grand French Archaic
Kenhionhata:tie Mohawk
Three Rivers Trois-Rivières French Archaic
Two Mountains Deux-Montagnes
Whale Cove Tikiraqjuaq (ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᖅ) Inuktitut

Cambodia

During the Khmer Rogue period (1975–1979), the country was known in English as Democratic Kampuchea, closer to the endonym than its modern English exonym. The English exonym of Cambodia is based on the French exonym, Cambodge. The endonym is sometimes used in English, but the exonym is far more common.

Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia Kampuchea (កម្ពុជា)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Mekong River Tonle Mekongk (ទន្លេមេគង្គ) Khmer
Phnom Penh Phnum Pénh (ភ្នំពេញគ)
Sihanoukville Krong Preah Sihanouk (ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ)
Kampong Som (កំពង់សោម)

Central African Republic

Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka / République centrafricaine
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
BangiBangî Sango Bangi is occasionally used in English
Bangui French

Chile

Flag of Chile.svg Chile
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Easter Island Isla de Pascua Spanish
Rapa Nui Rapa Nui
Fireland [8] Tierra del Fuego Spanish Obsolete

China

Some of the apparent "exonyms" for China are the result of change in romanization of Chinese to modern pinyin, for example "Tientsin" to "Tianjin". Other apparent exonyms are the result of the English name being based on one of the other varieties of Chinese besides Mandarin. Additionally, certain names which may now be considered exonyms actually preserve older Mandarin pronunciations which have changed in the intervening centuries. [9] [10] For all areas in mainland China, names written in Chinese are written in simplified characters. For all areas in the special administrative regions (SARs), the names will be written in traditional characters.

Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Zhōngguó (中国)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
AmoyAmoy Min Nan [11] Archaic
Xiàmén (厦门) Mandarin
Ē-mn̂g Amoy
Ē-mûi
Canton Guǎngzhōu (广州) Mandarin Archaic
Gwong2 Zau1 Cantonese
Changbai Mountain Chángbáishān (长白山) Mandarin
Paektusan (백두산) Korean
Chengchow Zhèngzhōu (郑州) Mandarin Archaic, change in romanization
Chengtu Chéngdū (成都)
Chungking Chóngqìng (重庆)
Foochow Fúzhōu (福州)
Forbidden City Gùgōng (故宫), Zǐjìnchéng (紫禁城)Means "Ancient Palace" and "Purple Forbidden City" respectively
Fukien Fújiàn (福建)Archaic, change in romanization
Gobi Desert Gēbì Shāmò (戈壁沙漠)
Govi (ᠭᠣᠪᠢ) Mongolian
Hangchow Hángzhōu (杭州) Mandarin Archaic, change in romanization
Heilungkiang Hēilóngjiāng (黑龙江)
Khejluntszyan (Хэйлунцзян) Russian
Hohhot Kökeqota (ᠬᠥᠬᠡᠬᠣᠲᠠ) Mongolian
Hūhéhàotè (呼和浩特) / Hūshì (呼市) Mandarin
Hokkien Fújiàn (福建) Hokkien Archaic, but survives in English name of the language
Hong Kong Hoeng1 Gong2 (香港) Cantonese
Xiānggǎng Mandarin
Inner Mongolia Öbür mongɣul (ᠦᠪᠦᠷ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ) Mongolian
Nèi Měnggǔ (内蒙古) Mandarin
KalganKalgan(ᠬᠠᠭᠠᠯᠭᠠᠨ) Mongolian
Zhāngjiākǒu (张家口) / Kālāgàn (喀拉干) Mandarin Archaic
KwangchowGwong2 Zau1 Cantonese
Guǎngzhōu (广州) Mandarin Archaic, change in romanization
KweilinGveilinz Zhuang
Guìlín (桂林) Mandarin Archaic, change in romanization
Lop Nor/Lop Nur Luóbùpō (罗布泊) Mandarin
Lob Nughur (ᠯᠣᠪ ᠨᠠᠭᠤᠷ) Mongolian script
Lop Nur (لوپنۇر) Uyghur
Macau Ou3 mun2 (澳門) Cantonese
Àomén (澳门) Mandarin
Macau Portuguese
Mekong River Méigōnghé (湄公河)
Mount Everest Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng

(珠穆朗玛峰)

Chomolungma (ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ) Tibetan
MukdenMukden Manchu [12] Archaic
Shěnyáng (沈阳) Mandarin
Nanking Nánjīng (南京)Archaic, change in romanization
Paotou Bāotóu (包头)Obsolete English spelling
Buɣutu qota (ᠪᠤᠭᠤᠲᠤ ᠬᠣᠲᠠ) Mongolian
Peking Běijīng (北京) Mandarin Archaic, change in romanization
Port Arthur Dàlián (大连)Archaic
Santow Shàntóu (汕头)
Shaanxi Shǎnxī (陕西)Name spelled using Guoyeu Romatzyh romanization, as the name would be the same as Shanxi using pinyin without tones.
Sian Xī'ān (西安)Archaic, change in romanization
Sinkiang Xīnjiāng (新疆)
Soochow Sūzhōu (苏州)
Swatow Shàntóu (汕头)
Suan1tao5 (汕头) Teochew English orthography close to Teochew pronunciation (Teochew 'n' sound is nasal)
SzechuanSìchuān (四川) Mandarin Archaic, change in romanization
Tibet Bod (བོད) Tibetan
Xīzàng (西藏) Mandarin
Tsingtao Qīngdǎo (青岛)Archaic, change in romanization
Yangtze RiverCháng jiāng (長江/长江)Based on the archaic name Yángzǐ Jiāng (揚子江/扬子江)
Yellow RiverHuáng Hé (黃河)
Yenchi

Yenki

Yánjí (延吉)Archaic, change in romanization
Yenji (옌지), Yŏn'gil (연길) Korean

Croatia

Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia Hrvatska
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Danube Dunav Croatian
Dalmatia Dalmacija
Istria Istra
Ragusa Dubrovnik Historical exonym
Zara Zadar

Cuba

Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bay of Pigs Bahía de Cochinos Spanish Cochino is one of several Spanish words used to define "pig"
Havana (La) Habana

Cyprus

Flag of Cyprus.svg Cyprus Kýpros/ Kıbrıs
English nameEndonymNotes
PlaceLanguage
Famagusta Ammokhóstos (Αμμόχωστος) Greek
Gazimaǧusa Turkish
Kyrenia Girne
Kerýneia (Κερύνεια) Greek
Limassol Lemesós (Λεμεσός)
Limasol Turkish
Nicosia Lefkoşa
Lefkosía (Λευκωσία) Greek

Czech Republic

Historically, English-language sources used German names for many places in what is now the Czech Republic. With some exceptions (such as the Elbe and Oder rivers, both of which flow into Germany) this is no longer done by most sources. [13]

Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic Česká republika
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Beskids Beskydy Czech
Bohemia Čechy Latin name
Bohemian Forest Šumava
Bohemian KarstČeský kras
Bohemian Paradise Český ráj
Bohemian Switzerland České Švýcarsko
Budweis České Budějovice Archaic, German name
Carlsbad Karlovy Vary
Elbe riverLabe German name
Fichtel Mountains Smrčiny
Franzensbad Františkovy Lázně Archaic, German name
Giant Mountains Krkonoše
Hanakia Haná Archaic
LachiaLašsko
Marienbad Mariánské Lázně Archaic, German name
Moravia Morava Latin name
Moravian Slovakia Slovácko
Moravian Wallachia Valašsko
Oder riverOdra German name
Ore Mountains Krušné hory
Pilsen Plzeň Archaic, German name
Prague Praha French name
Silesia Slezsko
Ślōnsk Silesian
Sudetes, Sudeten, Sudeten MountainsKrkonošsko-jesenická subprovincie, Sudety Czech
Sudetenland Sudety
Upper Palatine Forest Český les

Denmark

Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark Danmark
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Copenhagen København Danish
Elsinore Helsingør Dated
Funen Fyn
Jutland Jylland
Sleswick Schleswig Low German
Slesvig Danish
The Scaw Skagen Dated
Zealand Sjælland

Faroe Islands

Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg Faroe Islands Føroyar
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Thor's Haven Tórshavn Danish Dated

Greenland

Several places were known under Danish names, or a variant of them. Now only the local Greenlandic is used.

Flag of Greenland.svg Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Frederikdshab Paamiut Greenlandic Obsolete
Godthab Nuuk
Jacobshaven Ilulissat
Sondre Stromfjord Kangerlussuaq
Sondrestrom
Thule Qaanaaq

Egypt

Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt Miṣr (مصر)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Alexandria Al-Iskandariyya (الإسكندرية) Egyptian Arabic
Alexandria (ⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲁ) Coptic
Eskendereyya (اسكندرية) Egyptian Arabic
Rakote (ⲣⲁⲕⲟϯ ) Coptic
Cairo Al-Qāhirah (القاهرة) Standard Arabic
Maṣr (مَصر) Egyptian Arabic
Giza Al-Jīzah (الجيزة) Standard Arabic
El-Gīzeh (الجيزة) Egyptian Arabic
Luxor Al-Uqṣur (الاقصر) Standard Arabic
Babe (ⲡⲁⲡⲉ) Coptic
Loqṣor (الأقصر) Egyptian Arabic
Memphis Manf (مَنْف) Standard Arabic
Memfi (ⲙⲉⲙϥⲓ) Coptic
Nile An-Nīl (النيل) Standard Arabic
En-Nīl (النيل) Egyptian Arabic
Nilus Latin
Port Said Bur Sa'īd (بور سعيد) Standard Arabic
Bor Sa'īd (بور سعيد) Egyptian Arabic
Suez As-Suways (السويس) Standard Arabic

The English name of Egypt derives from the French name, Egypte, which is derived from the Greek name, Aigyptos (Αίγυπτος). [14]

Estonia

Flag of Estonia.svg Estonia Eesti
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Lake Peipus Peipsi järv Estonian
Reval Tallinn Obsolete

Finland

Flag of Finland.svg Finland Suomi
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Karelia [15] Karjala Finnish From Latin
Lapland [15] LappiFrom Swedish Lappland
Ostrobothnia [15] PohjanmaaFrom Latin, compare Swedish Österbotten
Savonia SavoFrom Latin
Tavastia [15] Häme

France

Flag of France.svg France
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bay of Biscay Golfe de Gascogne French
Bethwyn Béthune Archaic
Brittany Breizh Breton
Bretagne French
Burgundy Bourgogne
Camerick Cambrai Obsolete
Corsica Corse
Corsica Corsican
Cressy Crécy-en-Ponthieu French
DauphinyDalfinat Occitan
Darfenât Arpitan
Dauphiné French Archaic
Dunkirk Dunkerque
English Channel La Manche
Flanders Flandre
French Riviera Côte d'Azur
Gascony Gascogne
Gasconha Gascon
LyonsLiyon Arpitan
Lyon French Archaic
Marseilles Marseille
Marselha Occitan
Normandy Normandie French
Normaundie Norman
Picardy Picardie French
Rheims Reims Archaic
Rhine RiverRhin
Rone Rouen Obsolete
Savoy Savoie
Savouè Arpitan
Ushant Eusa Breton
Ouessant French

Georgia

Flag of Georgia.svg Georgia Sakartvelo (საქართველო)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Caucasus Kavkasioni (კავკასიონი) Georgian
Tiflis Tbilisi (თბილისი)Obsolete

Germany

This list does not include German place names with ß written with "ss" or umlauts being removed in some writing.

Flag of Germany.svg Germany Deutschland
English nameEndonymNotes
Name [5] [6] Language
Aix-la-Chapelle Aachen Standard German Archaic
Oche Ripuarian
Baltic Sea Ostsee Standard German
Bavaria Bayern
Bay of Lübeck Lübecker BuchtGerman name means "Lübeck Bight"
Bay of Mecklenburg Mecklenburger BuchtGerman name means "Mecklenburg Bight"
Bay of Meldorf Meldorfer BuchtGerman name means "Meldorf Bight"
Bay of Pomerania Pommersche BuchtGerman name means "Pomeranian Bight"
Bay of Wismar Wismarer BuchtGerman name means "Wismar Bight"
Black Forest Schwarzwald
Brunswick Braunschweig Archaic
Brunswiek Low Saxon
Cleves Kleve Standard German Archaic
Coblence Koblenz
CoblenzDated
Cologne Kölle Ripuarian
Köln Standard German
Constance Konstanz Dated
Danube riverDonau
Eastphalia Oostfalen Low Saxon
Ostfalen Standard German
Egge Hills EggegebirgeGerman name means "Egge Mountains"
Franconia Franken
Frankn Austro-Bavarian
Franconian Jura Frankenalb Standard German Frankenjura also used in German
FrankfortFrangford (am Maa) Hessian Archaic
Frankfurt (am Main) Standard German
Hamelin Hameln
Hanover Hannober Low Saxon
Hannover Standard German
Haßberge Hills Haßberge
Heligoland deät Lun Heligolandic North Frisian
Hälilönj Bökingharde North Frisian
Helgoland Standard German
Hesse Hessen
Hessia
Hither Pomerania Vorpommern
Hohwacht Bay Hohwachter Bucht
Jade Bight Jadebusen
Kaufungen Forest Kaufunger Wald
Kiel Canal Nordostseekanal
Knüll KnüllgebirgeGerman name also used in English
Lake Constance Bodensee
Lower Bavarian Upland Niederbayerisches Hügelland
Lusatia Lausitz
Łužica Upper Sorbian
Łužyca Lower Sorbian
Malborow Marburg Standard German Archaic
Mayence Mainz
MentzArchaic, British English
Moselle riverMosel
Musel Moselle Franconian
Munich Minga Austro-Bavarian
München Standard German
Nuremberg Narrnberch East Franconian
Nürnberg Standard German
Ore Mountains Erzgebirge
Palatinate Palz
Pfalz
Pomerania Pommern
Prussia Preußen
Ratisbon Regensburg Archaic
Rengschburch Austro-Bavarian
Rhenish Massif Rheinisches Schiefergebirge Standard German
Rhine riverRhein
Saxe-Coburg-GothaSachsen-Coburg und GothaEnglish now uses translation Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Saxony Sachsen
Sassen Low Saxon
Swabia Schwaben Standard German
Szczecin Lagoon Stettiner Haff
Thuringia Thüringen
Tréier Moselle Franconian
Treves Trier Standard German Archaic, French name
Western Pomerania Vorpommern
Westphalia Westfalen Low Saxon
Standard German

Greece

The exonym for Greece in English comes from Magna Graecia, which was a historical region in Italy colonized by the Greeks. The endonym Ellás comes from Hellen, the mythological ancestor of the Greeks.

Flag of Greece.svg Greece Elládha/ Ellás (Ελλάδα/ Ἑλλάς)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Attica Attikí (Αττική) Greek
Athens Athína (Αθήνα)
Boetia Voiotía (Βοιωτία)
Corfu Kérkyra (Κέρκυρα)
Corinth Kórinthos (Κόρινθος)
Crete Kríti (Κρήτη)
Cyclades Kykládhes (Κυκλάδες)
Dodecanese Dhodhekánisa (Δωδεκάνησα)
Epirus Ipeiros (Ήπειρος)
Euboea Evvoia (Εύβοια)
Heraklion Irákleio (Ηράκλειο)
Icaria Ikaría (Ικαρία)
Ithaca Itháki (Ιθάκη)
Lepanto Náfpaktos (Νάυπακτος)Archaic
Macedonia Makedonía (Μακεδονία)
Mediterranean Sea Mesógeios thálassa (Μεσόγειος θάλασσα)
Missolonghi Mesológi (Μεσολόγγι)
Naupactus Náfpaktos (Νάυπακτος)Greek name also used in English
Navarino Pýlos (Πύλος)Archaic
Patras Pátra (Πάτρα)
Peloponnese Pelopónnisos (Πελοπόννησος)
Philippi Fílippoi (Φίλιπποι)
Piraeus Peiraiás (Πειραιάς)
Rhodes Ródhos (Ρόδος)
Rhodope Mountains Rodhópi (Ροδόπη)
Salonica Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη)Archaic
Samothrace Samothráki (Σαμοθράκη)
Sparta Spárti (Σπάρτη)
Thebes Thíva (Θήβα)
Thessalonica Thessaloníki (Θεσσαλονίκη)Greek name also used in English
Thessaly Thessalía (Θεσσαλία)
Thrace Thráki (Θράκη)
Zante Zákynthos (Ζάκυνθος)Archaic

Haiti

Flag of Haiti.svg Haiti Haïti / Ayiti
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Labadee Labadie French

Hungary

Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary Magyarország
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Budapest Budapest Hungarian
Carpathian Mountains Kárpátok
Comorn Komárom Dated
Danube RiverDuna
Pesth Pest Archaic

Iceland

Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland Ísland
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Blue Lagoon Bláa lónið Icelandic
Westman Islands Vestmannaeyjar Dated, translation

India

Flag of India.svg India Bhārat (भारत)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Allahabad Prayagraj (प्रयागराज) Hindi Officially amended to Prayagraj but still in use in popular culture.
Allepey Alappuzha (ആലപ്പുഴ) Malayalam Dated
Bangalore Bengaluru (ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು) Kannada
Benares Varanasi (वाराणसी) Hindi Dated
Bombay Mumbai (मुंबई) Marathi
Calcutta Kolkata (কলকাতা) Bengali
Cawnpore Kanpur (कानपुर) Hindi Obsolete
Cochin Kochi (കൊച്ചി) Malayalam
Delhi Dilli (दिल्ली) Hindi
Ganges River Ganga (गंगा)
Indus River Sindhū (सिन्धु) Sanskrit
Jaypore Jaipur (जयपुर) Hindi Obsolete
Laccadive Islands Lakshadweep (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്) Malayalam
Madras Chennai (சென்னை) Tamil Dated
Palghat Palakkad (പാലക്കാട്) Malayalam Obsolete
Pondicherry Puducherry (புதுச்சேரி) Tamil Dated
Poona Pune (पुणे) Marathi
Simla Shimla (शिमला) Hindi Obsolete
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram (തിരുവനന്തപുരം) Malayalam

Indonesia

Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia
English nameEndonymNote
NameLanguage
Bencoolen Bengkulu Indonesian Historical
Billiton Belitung Obsolete
Borneo Kalimantan These exonyms are also unofficially used in Indonesia.
Celebes Sulawesi
Ceram Seram
Java Jawa
Lesser Sunda Islands
(Nusa Tenggara Islands)
Kepulauan Nusa Tenggara
Kepulauan Sunda KecilHistorical
Moluccas Kepulauan Maluku
New Guinea
(Papua)
Papua
Irian JayaHistorical
Nugini Fossil word, only in compounds.
Savu SawuOne of few alternative names for the island. Sabu is officially only used for Sabu Raijua Regency.
Sabu
Thousand Islands Kepulauan Seribu

Iran

Flag of Iran.svg Iran Irān (اݐران)
English nameEndonymNote
NameLanguage
Bushire Bushehr (بوشهر) Persian Obsolete
Caspian Sea Darya-ye Khazar (Khazar Sea)
Isfahan Ešfahān (اصفهان)
Meshed Mashhad (مشهد)Obsolete
Teheran Tehran (تهران)Obsolete

Iraq

Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq Al-Irāq (العراق)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Ctesiphon Ṭaysafūn (طيسفون) or Qaṭaysfūn (قطيسفون) Standard Arabic
Duhok Dahūk (دهوك)
Dihok (دهۆک) Kurdish
Beth Nohadra (ܒܝܬ ܢܘܗܕܪܐ) Syriac
Euphrates RiverAl-Furāt (الفرات) Standard Arabic
Firat Kurdish
Pǝrāth (ܦܪܬ) Syriac
Mosul Al-Mawṣil (الموصل) Standard Arabic
Māwṣil (ܡܘܨܠ) Syriac
Mosil (مووسڵ) Kurdish
Tigris RiverDeqlath (ܕܹܩܠܵܬ) Syriac
Dîcle (دیجلە) Kurdish
Dijla (دجله) Standard Arabic

Ireland

The vast majority of placenames in Ireland are anglicisations, or phonetic renderings, of Irish language names. The exceptions to this are listed here:

Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Éire
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Arklow an tInbhear Mór Irish
Carlingford Cairlinn
Connaught Connacht Dated
Dalkey Deilginis
Dursey Baoi Bhéarra, Oileán Baoi
Dublin Baile Átha Cliath
Fastnet Carraig Aonair
Haulbowline Inis Sionnach
Howth Binn Éadair
Killarney Cill Airne
Lambay Reachrainn
Leinster Laighin
Leixlip Léim an Bhrádain
Meath
Munster Mumhan
Oxmantown Baile Lochlannach
Saltee Na Sailtí
Selskar Seilsceir
Skerries Na Sceirí
Strangford Loch Cuan
Ulster Ulaidh
Waterford Port Láirge
Wexford Loch Garman
Wicklow Cill Mhantáin

Israel

The below listing is only a summary. Modern Israeli transcription systems (romanization of Hebrew) vary from the spellings of many hundreds of place names of Ancient Israel adopted by Bible translations - both Christian, such as the King James Version (1611) and also Jewish versions such as the JPS (1917). [16]

Flag of Israel.svg Israel Yisrael (ישראל)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Acre Ako (עכו) Modern Hebrew Greek name
Beersheba Beer Sheva' (באר שבע)
Capernaum Kfar Nachum (כפר נחום) Latin name
Dead Sea Āl-Baḥrū l-Maytū (اَلْبَحْرُ الْمَيْتُ) Standard Arabic
Yam hamMelaḥ (ים המלח) Modern Hebrew
Galilee haGalil (הגליל)
Jaffa Yafo (יפו)
JoppaGreek name, dated
Jordan River Nahr al-Urdun (نهر الأردن) Standard Arabic
Nahar haYarden (נהר הירדן) Modern Hebrew
Jerusalem Ūršalīm (أُورُشَلِيمَ) Standard Arabic
Yerushalayim (ירושלים) Modern Hebrew Latin name
Nazareth Natzrat (נצרת) Greek name
Sea of Galilee Imat Tbria (بحيرة طبريا) Standard Arabic
Yamat haKineret (ימת הכינרת) Modern Hebrew
Safed Tzfat (צפת) Arabic name
Tiberias Tverya (טבריה) Greek name

Italy

Flag of Italy.svg Italy Italia
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Apulia Puglia Standard Italian
Pùglia Neapolitan
Aventine Hill Aventino Standard Italian
Caelian Hill Celio
Capitoline Hill Campidoglio
Florence Firenze French name
Genoa Genova
Zêna Ligurian
Herculaneum Ercolano Standard Italian English uses different names for the ancient and modern places
Janiculum Gianicolo Latin name
Latium Lazio English uses different names for the ancient and modern places
Leghorn Livorno Obsolete
Lombardy Lombardéa Lombard French name
Lombardia Standard Italian
Mantua Mantua Lombard
Mantova Standard Italian
Milan Milan Lombard
Milano Standard Italian
Montferrat Monferrato French name
Monfrà Piedmontese
Naples Napoli Standard Italian
Napule Neapolitan
Padua Padova Standard Italian
Pàdova Venetian
Piedmont Piemont Piedmontese
Piemonte Standard Italian
Phlegraean Fields Campi Flegrei
Pompeii Pompei Latin name
Pontine Marshes Agro Pontino
Rome RomaFrench name
Rubicon RiverRubicone
Sardinia Sardegna
Sicily Sicilia
Sicilian
Sienna Siena Standard Italian Obsolete
Syracuse Sarasusa Sicilian
Siracusa Standard Italian
The Marches Marche Obsolete
Tiber Tevere Latin name
Tuscany Toscana
Turin Torino
Turin Piedmontese
Trent Trento Standard Italian Dated
Trent Ladin and Lombard
Tyrol Tirolo Standard Italian
Venice Venesia Venetian French name
Venezia Standard Italian
Vesuvius Vesuvio Neapolitan Latin name
Standard Italian

Many English exonyms were derived from the French variations, such as Rome and Venice.

Japan

Flag of Japan.svg Japan Nihon, Nippon (日本)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bonin Islands Ogasawara Guntou (小笠原群島) Japanese
Iwo Jima Iou-tou (硫黄島)Alternative reading of endonym
Liancourt Rocks Takeshima (竹島)
Ryūkyū Islands Nansei-shotou (南西諸島)
Volcano Islands Kazan Rettou (火山列島)

The English name for Japan derives from the Portuguese name for the country, Japão, which was based on a Chinese transcription of Japan's endonym, Nippon or Nihon (日本). [17]

Laos

Flag of Laos.svg Laos Lāo (ລາວ)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Louangphabang Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພະບາງ) Lao Also spelled Luangphabang
Mekong River Maenam Khong (ແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງ)
Savannakhet Kaysone Phomvihane (ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ)
Viangchan [18] Wīang chan (ວຽງຈັນ)
Vientiane from French
Wiangchan [19]

An older variant of the country's name in English uses the definite article, the Laos, which is now obsolete.

Latvia

Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia Latvija
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Courland Kurzeme Latvian
Lettgallia Latgale Dated
Semigallia Zemgale

Lebanon

Flag of Lebanon.svg Lebanon Lubnān (لبنان)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Sidon Ṣaydā (صيدا) Standard Arabic
Tyre Ṣūr (صور)
Tripoli Ṭarābulus (طرابلس)

Libya

Flag of Libya.svg Libya Libiyā (ليبيا)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Cyrenaica Barqah (برقة) Standard Arabic
Fezzan Fezzan (ⴼⵣⵣⴰⵏ) Berber
Fizzān (فزان) Standard Arabic
Misrata Miṣrātah (مصراتة)
Sirte Sirt (سرت)
Tripoli Ṭrables Berber
Ṭarābulus (طرابلس) Standard Arabic
Ṭrābləs (طرابلس) Maghrebi Arabic
Tripolitania Ṭrables Berber
Ṭarābulus (طرابلس) Standard Arabic
Ṭrābləs (طرابلس) Maghrebi Arabic

Lithuania

Flag of Lithuania.svg Lithuania Lietuva
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Neman riverNemunas Lithuanian
Nieman riverDated
Samogitia Žemaitija
Sudovia Sudūva
Yotvingia Dainava
Vilna or Wilna Vilnius Obsolete

Malaysia

Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Malacca Melaka Malay
Penang Island Pulau Pinang
Johore Johor

Mexico

Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico México
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Kino Bay Hermosillo Spanish
Rocky Point Puerto Peñasco Dated

Moldova

Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Kishinev Chișinău Romanian Obsolete

Mongolia

Flag of Mongolia.svg Mongolia Mongγol Ulus (Монгол Улc/ ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Gobi Desert Govi (Говь/ ᠭᠣᠪᠢ) Mongolian
Ulan Bator Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар/ ᠤᠯᠠᠭᠠᠨᠪᠠᠭᠠᠲᠤᠷ)Obsolete

Morocco

Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco Al-Magrib (المغرب)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Casablanca Ad-Dār Al-Bayḍā' (الدار البيضاء) Standard Arabic
Kaza (كازا) [20] Moroccan Arabic Informal name for the city
Anfa (ⴰⵏⴼⴰ) Berber
Fez Fās (ⴼⴰⵙ)
Fās (فاس) Standard Arabic
Marrakesh Murrākush (مراكش)
Tangier Ṭanja (ⵟⴰⵏⵊⴰ) Berber
Ṭanjah (طنجة) Standard Arabic

The English name for the country derives from the city name Marrakesh. [21] The Arabic name for the country, al-Magrib (المغرب), is Arabic for "the west".

Myanmar

Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar Myanma (မြန်မာ)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Mekong River Megaung Myit (မဲခေါင်မြစ်) Burmese
Naypyidaw Nay Pyi Taw (နေပြည်တော်)
Pagan Bagan (ပုဂံ)Dated
Rangoon Yangon (ရန်ကုန်မြို့)
Ummerapoora Amarapura (အမရပူရ)

Nepal

Flag of Nepal.svg   Nepal Nepāl (नेपाल)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Mount Everest Sagarmatha (सगरमाथा) Nepali

Netherlands

Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands Nederland
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Brill Brielle Dutch Obsolete
Dort Dordrecht
Flushing Vlissingen
Guelders Gelderland Dated
Hook of Holland Hoek van Holland
Leyden Leiden Dated
Meuse riverMaas French name
Rhine riverRijn
Ryswick Rijswijk Obsolete
The Hague Den Haag

Norway

Flag of Norway.svg Norway Noreg, Norge
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bear Island Bjørnøya Norwegian Translation
North Cape Davvenjárgga Northern Sami
Nordkapp Norwegian
Slagen Valley Slagndarn Tunsbergian
Slagendalen Norwegian
The Southland Sørlandet

North Korea

The inhabitants of North Korea prefer the official name of the country, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), [22] Chosŏn, or simply Korea.

Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea Chosŏn (조선)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Diamond MountainKŭmgang-san (금강산) Korean English now uses rough transliteration Mount Kumgang
Paektu Mountain Paektu-san (백두산)
Tumen River Tuman-gang (두만강) Mandarin name, as the river borders China
Yalu River Amnok-kang (압록강)

Palestine

Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine Filasṭīn (فلسطين)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bethany Al-'Eizariya (العيزرية) Standard Arabic
Bethlehem Beyt Laḥm (بيت لحم) Levantine Arabic
Bayta Laḥm (بيت لحم) Standard Arabic
Dead Sea al-Baḥr al-Mayt (اَلْبَحْر الْمَيْت) Levantine Arabic
Gaza City Ghazzah (غَزَّة) Standard Arabic
Hebron Al-Khalīl (الخليل)
Jericho Arīḥā (أريحا)
Jerusalem Al-Quds (القُدس) Latin name
Jordan River Nahr al-Urdun (نهر الأردن)

Philippines

Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines Pilipinas
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Caloocan Kalookan Tagalog
Cebu Sugbo Cebuano
Davao Dabaw
Manila Maynila Tagalog

Poland

Flag of Poland.svg Poland Polska
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Auschwitz Oświęcim Polish Dated, German name
Breslau Wrocław
Carpathian Mountains Karpaty
Cracow Kraków
Danzig Gdańsk Dated, German name
Galicia Galicja
Giant Mountains Karkonosze
Kashubia Kaszëbë Kashubian
Kaszuby Polish
Kuyavia Kujawy
Mazovia Mazowsze
Mazuria Mazury
Oder riverOdra
Pomerania Pomorze
Subcarpathia Podkarpacie
Sudetes, Sudeten, Sudeten MountainsSudety
Silesia Śląsk
Ślōnsk Silesian
Vistula riverWisła Polish
Warsaw Warszawa

Portugal

Flag of Portugal (official).svg Portugal
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Azores Açores Portuguese Spanish name
Braganza Bragança Dated, Spanish name
Lisbon Lisboa
Oporto Porto Obsolete
Tagus riverTejo Latin name

Romania

Flag of Romania.svg Romania România
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bucharest București Romanian
Carpathian Mountains Carpați
Danube RiverDunărea
Jassy Iași [23] Obsolete
Northern Dobruja Dobrogea, Dobrogea de NordRomanian part of the region of Dobruja
Transylvania Transilvania
Wallachia Țara Românească, Valahia

Russia

Flag of Russia.svg Russia Rossiya (Россия)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Archangel Arkhangelsk (Архангельск) Russian Dated
Black Sea Chernoye (Черное)
Caucasus Kavkaz (Кавказ)
Caspian Sea Kaspiyskoye more (Каспийское море)
Grozny Sölƶa-Ġala (Соьлжа-ГӀала) Chechen
Groznyy (Грозный) Russian
Moscow Moskva (Москва)
Orel Oryol (Орёл)Obsolete
Pacific Ocean Tikhiy okean (Тихий океан)
Plescow Pskov (Псков)Obsolete
Saint Petersburg Sankt-Peterburg (Санкт-Петербург)
Siberia Sibir' (Сибирь)

Saudi Arabia

Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia As-Sa'ūdīyah (السعودية)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Arabian Sea Al-Baḥr al-'Arabī (البحر العربي) Standard Arabic
Empty Quarter Rub' al Khali (ٱلرُّبْع ٱلْخَالِي)
Gulf of Aden Khalīj ʻAdan (خليج عدن)
Jeddah Jiddah (جِدَّة)
Mecca Makkah (مکة)
Medina Al-Madīnah (المدينة)
Persian Gulf Khalij-e fârs (خلیج فارس) Farsi
Al-Khalīj al-'Arabī (اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ) Standard Arabic
Red Sea Al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar (البحر الأحمر)
Riyadh Er-Riyāḍ (الرياض) Najdi Arabic
Ar-Riyāḍ (الرياض) Standard Arabic

Serbia

Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia Srbija (Србија)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Balkan Mountains Stara Planina (Стара Планина) Serbian
Belgrade Beograd (Београд)French name
Danube riverDunav (Дунав)

Slovakia

Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia Slovensko
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Carpathian Mountains Karpaty Slovak
Cassovia Košice Latin name
Danube riverDunaj
Gerlach Peak Gerlachovský štít
Maple Mountains Javorníky
Slovak Ore Mountains Slovenské rudohorie

Slovenia

Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia Slovenija
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Carinthia Koroška Slovene
Inner Carniola Notranjska
Karawanks Karavanke
Karst Kras
Lower Carniola Dolenjska
Slovene Littoral Primorska
Styria Štajerska
Upper Carniola Gorenjska

Somalia

Flag of Somalia.svg Somalia Soomaaliya
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Baidoa Baydhabo Somali
Chisimaio Kismaayo Obsolete
Mogadishu Muqdisho
Villabruzzi Jowhaar Dated

South Africa

Many South African towns have multiple names due to the number of languages. Additionally, some places have been renamed from English and Afrikaans.

Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Aliwal North Maletswai Sotho
Cape Town ǁHui!gaeb Khoekhoe
Kaapstad Afrikaans
iKapa Xhosa
Fish Hoek Vishoek Afrikaans
GrahamstownGrahamstadDated in Afrikaans and English
iRhini Xhosa
Makhanda
Queenstown Komani Sotho
Simon's Town Simonstad Afrikaans

South Korea

Flag of South Korea.svg South Korea Hanguk (한국)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Liancourt Rocks Dokdo (독도) Korean
Port Hamilton Geomundo (거문도)
Pusan Busan (부산시)Dated
Quelpart Jeju (제주도)Obsolete

Spain

English uses Spanish-language exonyms for some places in non-Spanish speaking regions of Spain.

Flag of Spain.svg Spain España
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Andalusia Andalucía Spanish
Basque Country País Vasco
Euskadi Basque
Biscay Bizkaia
Vizcaya Spanish
Castile Castilla
Catalonia Catalunya Catalan Latin name
Corunna A Coruña Galician Obsolete
Douro Duero Spanish Portuguese name
Majorca Mallorca Catalan Dated
Minorca Menorca
Navarre Nafarroa Basque
Pampeluna Pamplona Spanish Dated
Saragossa Zaragoza
Seville Sevilla
Tagus Tajo Latin name
Teneriffe Tenerife Obsolete, French name
The Groyne A Coruña Galician Obsolete
Vittoria Vitoria-Gasteiz Compound of the Spanish and Basque names (often used separately)Dated
Vitorixe Basque form of Spanish name

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon in English until 1972.

Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Sri Lanka Shri Lanka (ශ්‍රී ලංකා)/ Ilaṅkai (இலங்கை)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Adam's Peak Civaṉoḷipātam (சிவனொளிபாதம்)

Civaṉaṭipātam (சிவனடிபாதம்)

Tamil
Śrī Pāda (ශ්‍රී පාද) Sinhala
Batticaloa Maṭṭakkaḷappu (மட்டக்களப்பு) Tamil
Madakalapuwa (මඩකලපුව) Sinhala
Chilaw Cilāpam (சிலாபம்) Tamil
Halawta (හලාවත) Sinhala
Colombo Kolamba (කොළඹ)
Koḻumpu (கொழும்பு) Tamil
Delft Neṭuntīvu (நெடுந்தீவு)
Ḍelfṭ (ඩෙල්ෆ්ට්) Sinhala
Elephant Pass Āṉaiyiṟavu (ஆனையிறவு) Tamil
Alimankada (අලිමංකඩ) Sinhala
Galle Galla (ගාල්ල)
Kāli (காலி) Tamil
Jaffna Yāḻppāṇam (யாழ்ப்பாணம்)
Yāpanaya (යාපනය) Sinhala
Kandy Kaṇṭi (கண்டி) Tamil
Mahanuwara (මහනුවර) Sinhala
Kayts Ūrkāvaṟtuṟai (ஊர்காவற்துறை) Tamil
Kayiṭs (කයිට්ස්) Sinhala
Mutwal Modara (මෝදර)
Mukattuvāram (முகத்துவாரம்) Tamil
Negombo Meegumuwa (මීගමුව) Sinhala
Nirkolompu (நீர்கொழும்பு) Tamil
Point Pedro Paruttittuṟai (பருத்தித்துறை)
Pēduru Tuḍuva (පේදුරු තුඩුව) Sinhala
Pooneryn Poonakary (பூநகரி) Tamil
Pūneriya (පූනෙරිය) Sinhala
Trincomalee Tirukōṇamalai (திருகோணமலை) Tamil
Thrikunamalaya (ත්‍රිකුණාමළය) Sinhala

Sudan

Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan As-Sūdān (السودان)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Khartoum Al-Khurṭūm (الخَرطوم) Standard Arabic
El-Khortūm (الخَرطوم) Sudanese Arabic
Nile RiverAn-Nīl (النيل) Standard Arabic
En-Nīl (النيل) Sudanese Arabic
Omdurman Omm Dormān (أُم درمان)
Umm Durmān (أُم درمان) Standard Arabic
Port Sudan Burtusudan (بورتسودان)
Bar'uut Beja

Sweden

Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Sverige
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Dalecarlia Dalarna Elfdalian Latin name; Swedish name also used
Swedish
Gothenburg Göteborg
North Bothnia NorrbottenSwedish name also used
Scania Skåne Latin name
The DalesDalarna Elfdalian Obsolete; translation of Swedish name
Swedish
West Bothnia Västerbotten Swedish Swedish name also used in English

Switzerland

Historically, English-language sources borrowed French-language names for some places in German-speaking Switzerland. This is no longer done, and many sources now use German names for most Swiss German-speaking places. [24]

Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Switzerland Schweiz/ Suisse/ Svizzera/ Svizra
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Basle Basel Standard German Obsolete
Berne Bern
Geneva Genève French
Genf Standard German
Lucerne Luzern
Rhine RiverRhein
Valais Wallis

Syria

Flag of Syria (2025-).svg Syria Sūrīyah (سورية)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Aleppo Ḥalab (حَلَب) Standard Arabic
Levantine Arabic
Damascus Dimashq (دِمَشْق) Standard Arabic
Dimash' (دِمَشْق) Levantine Arabic
Euphrates RiverAl-Furat (الفرات) Standard Arabic
Homs Ḥimṣ (حِمْص)
Ḥumṣ (حُمْص) Levantine Arabic
Palmyra Tadmur (تَدْمُر) Standard Arabic
Levantine Arabic
Latakia Al-Lādhiqīyah (اللاذقية) Standard Arabic
El-Lādi'iyyeh (اللاذقية) Levantine Arabic

Thailand

Thailand was known as Siam in English until the Siamese revolution of 1932.

Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand Prathet Thai (ประเทศไทย)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Bangkok Krung Thep (กรุงเทพ) Thai Bangkok was the name of a village built on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river before it grew and became the new capital of Siam, after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. [25] The city is called Krung Thep among Thai citizens, but Bangkok among non-Thai citizens. The Thai government has attempted to change the official English name to Krung Thep, but the unofficial name of Bangkok remains in common use.
Junk Ceylon Phuket (ภูเก็ต)Obsolete; a corruption of the Malay Tanjung Salang
Kanburi Kanchanaburi (กาญจนบุรี)Obsolete
Mekong RiverMaenam Khong (แม่น้ำโขง)
Menam Maenam Chao Praya (แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา)Obsolete
Odia Ayutthaya (อยุธยา)
Singora Songkhla (สงขลา)
Zimme Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่)

Taiwan

The main island of Taiwan is also known in English as Formosa. All Chinese names below are written in traditional characters. As mentioned above in the China section, many place names in Taiwan use either pinyin or Wade-Giles.

Flag of the Republic of China.svg Taiwan (臺灣)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
PehoePhîⁿ-ô͘ Hokkien
Penghu (澎湖) Mandarin Obsolete, from Min Nan name Phênô
PescadoresPhîⁿ-ô͘ Hokkien
Penghu (澎湖) Mandarin Dated, Portuguese name
Quemoy Kimoi Hokkien
Kinmen (金門) Mandarin Possibly a Spanish or Portuguese transcription of the Zhengzhou Hokkien name for the city, Kim-mûi [26]

Tunisia

Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia Tūnis (تونس)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Gabès Gābes (قابس) Maghrebi Arabic Pronounced similar to English name
Qābis (قابس) Standard Arabic
Sfax Sifaks (ⵙⵉⴼⴰⴽⵙ) Berber
Ṣfāqes (صفاقس) Maghrebi Arabic
Ṣafaqus (صفاقس) Standard Arabic
Sousse Susa Berber
Sūseh (سوسة) Maghrebi Arabic
Sūsah (سوسة) Standard Arabic

Turkey

Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Türkiye
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Adalia Antalya Turkish Dated
Adrianople Edirne
Alexandretta İskenderun
Anemurium Anamur
Antioch Antakya
Bosphorus Boǧaziçi
Byzantium İstanbul Obsolete
Caeserea Kayseri Dated
Cappadocia Kapadokya
Claudiopolis Mut Dated
Constantinople İstanbul
Dardanelles Çanakkale Boǧazı
Edessa(Sanlı)urfa Dated
Ephesus Efes
Euphrates RiverFırat
Gallipoli Gelibolu Dated
Halicarnassus Bodrum
Heraclea Pontica Karadeniz Ereǧli
Iconium Konya
Imbros Gökçeada Greek name
Istanbul İstanbulSome consider Istanbul to be an English exonym of İstanbul. [27]

Normally spelled without İ in English, even in sources which would otherwise use it. [28]

Kerasous Giresun Dated
Laranda Karaman
Magnesia ad Sipylum Manisa
Nicaea Iznik
Nicomedia Izmit
Pergamon Bergama
Philadelphia Alaşehir
Prusa Bursa
Scutari Üsküdar Dated [29]
Seleucia Silifke Dated
Smyrna İzmir
Tenedos Bozcaada Greek name
Thrace Trakya
Tigris RiverDicle
Tralles Aydın Dated
Trebizond Trabzon

In June 2022, the United Nations agreed to change the country's official name in English as Türkiye at the request of the Turkish government. [30] However, the majority of English speakers still refer to the country as Turkey in daily use.

Ukraine

Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine Ukrayina (Україна)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Black Sea Chorne (Чорне) Ukrainian
Carpathian Ruthenia Karpatska Rus' (Карпатська Русь)Historic region
Carpathian Ukraine Karpatska Ukrayina (Карпатська Україна)
Chernobyl Chornobyl (Чорнобиль) Russian name
Crimea Krym (Крим)Region claimed by Russia, but many nations do not recognize it as part of Russia [31]
Danube RiverDunai (Дунай)
Galicia Halychyna (Галичина)Historic region
Gorlovka Horlivka (Горлівка)Archaic, Russian name
Kharkov Kharkiv (Харків)
Kiev Kyiv (Київ) Russian name; though the Russian endonym Kiev prevailed after the Soviet Union ended in 1991, in the late 2010s media outlets and governments began using Kyiv at the request of the Ukrainian government.
Krivoy Rog Kryvyi Rih (Кривиі Ріг)Archaic, Russian name
Podolia Podillia (Поділля)Historic region
Subcarpathia Pidkarpattia (Підкарпаття)
Subcarpathian Ruthenia, Subcarpathian RusPidkarpatska Rus' (Підкарпатська Русь)
Transcarpathia Zakarpattia (Закарпаття)
Transcarpathian Ukraine Zakarpatska Ukrayina (Закарпатська Україна)
Volhynia Volyn' (Волинь)Historic region

United Kingdom

The places listed are where non-English local languages are mainly used or where the non-English names do not regularly correspond to the English one.

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Aberdovey Aberdyfi Welsh Dated
Abergavenny Y Fenni
Achmore An t-Acha Mòr Scottish Gaelic
Aird of Sleat Àird Shlèite
Alexandria Magh Leamhna
Ammanford Rhydaman Welsh
Anglesey Ynys Môn
Applecross A'Chomraich Scottish Gaelic
Ardvasar Àird a Bhàsair
Arinagour Àirigh na Gobhar
Bala Lake Llyn Tegid Welsh
Balivanich Baile a Mhanaich Scottish Gaelic
Ballygrant Baile a Ghràna
Bardsey Island Ynys Enlli Welsh
Barmouth Abermaw or
Y Bermo
Barra Barraigh Scottish Gaelic
Barvas Barabhas
Bayble Pabail
Bearsden Cille Phàdraig ÙrFormerly Kilpatrick
Beauly A'Mhanachainn
Beaumaris Biwmaris Welsh
Benbecula Beinn na Fadhla Scottish Gaelic
Bernisdale Beàrnasdal
Bishopbriggs Coille DobhairFormerly Cadder
Bonvilston Tresimwn Welsh
Borrowstounness (Bo'ness)Ceann an Fhàil Scottish Gaelic Formerly Kinneil
Bowmore Bogh Mòr
Bracadale Bracadal
Brecknockshire
nowadays usually Breconshire
Brycheiniog Welsh
Brecon Aberhonddu
Brecon Beacons Bannau Brycheiniog
Bridgend (Scotland) Beul an Àtha Scottish Gaelic
Bridgend (Wales) Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr Welsh
Breasclete Breascleit Scottish Gaelic
Broadford An t-Àth Leathann
Buckley Bwcle Welsh
Builth Wells Llanfair-ym-Muallt
Caerleon Caerllion
Ca(e)rnavon Caernarfon Dated
Cairngorms Am Monadh Ruadh Scottish Gaelic
Cairnryan Machair An Sgithich,
Cairn Rioghainne
Callinish Calanais
Caldey Island Ynys Bŷr Welsh
Calgary Calgarraidh Scottish Gaelic
Camastianavaig Camas Dìonabhaig
Campbeltown Ceann Loch Chille Chiaran
Cardiff Caerdydd Welsh
Cardigan Aberteifi
Carinish Càirinis Scottish Gaelic
Carloway Càrlabhag
Carmarthen Caerfyrddin Welsh
Castlebay Bàgh a Chaisteal Scottish Gaelic
Cardiganshire Ceredigion Welsh Dated
Chepstow Cas-gwent
Chirk Y Waun
Cleadale Clèadail Scottish Gaelic
Coll Cola
Colonsay Colbhasa
Conway Conwy Welsh Dated
Cowbridge Y Bont-faen
Craighouse Taigh na Creige Scottish Gaelic
Craignure Craig an Iobhar
Daliburgh Dalabrog
Denbigh Dinbych Welsh
Devil's Bridge Pontarfynach
Dingwall Inbhir Pheofharain Scottish Gaelic
Dolgelley Dolgellau Welsh Dated
Dufftown Baile Bhainidh Scottish Gaelic
Dunvegan Dùn Bheagain
Ebbw Vale Glyn Ebwy Welsh
Edinbane An t-Aodann Bàn Scottish Gaelic
Eigg Eige
Elgol Ealaghol
Eriskay Èirisgeigh
Fishguard Abergwaun Welsh
Flint Y Fflint
FlowerdaleAm Baile Mòr Scottish Gaelic
Fort Augustus Cille ChuimeinFormerly Kilwhimin
Fort William An Gearasdan
Fortrose A' Chananaich
Glamorgan Morgannwg Welsh
Goodwick Wdig
Gower Peninsula Gŵyr
Great Orme Y Gogarth
Harlosh Hèarrlois Scottish Gaelic
Harris Na Hearadh
Haverfordwest Hwlffordd Welsh
Hawarden Penarlâg
Hay-on-Wye Y Gelli Gandryll
informally
Y Gelli
Holyhead Caergybi
Holywell Treffynnon
Holywood, DumfriesshireDoire Chonaill Scottish Gaelic Formerly Dercongal
Howmore Tobha Mòr
Iona Ì Chaluim Chille
Islay Ìle
Isle of Lewis Leodhas
Isle of Mull Muile
Isle of Skye Sgitheneach
Isleornsay Eilean Iarmain
Jura Diùra
Kincardineshire A' MhaorainnSometimes called The Mearns
Knighton Tref-y-clawdd Welsh
Kyleakin Caol Àcain Scottish Gaelic
Kylerhea Caol Reatha
Lampeter Llanbedr Pont Steffan Welsh
Laurencekirk Coinmheadh Scottish Gaelic Formerly Conveth
Laxdale Lacadal
Leurbost Liùrbost
Leverburgh An t-ÒbhFormerly Obbe
Linlithgow Gleann Iucha
Llandovery Llanymddyfri Welsh
Llantwit Major Llanilltud Fawr
Lochboisdale Loch Baghasdail Scottish Gaelic
Lochmaddy Loch nam Madadh
Lochnagar Beinn Chìochan
Menai Bridge Porthaethwy Welsh
Menai Strait Afon MenaiWelsh name means "River Menai"
Merionethshire Meirionydd
Milford Haven Aberdaugleddau
Milovaig Miolabhaig Scottish Gaelic
Mold Yr Wyddgrug Welsh
Monmouth Trefynwy
Monmouthshire Sir Fynwy
Montgomeryshire Trefaldwyn
Mountain Ash Aberpennar
Muck Muc Scottish Gaelic
Neath Castell-nedd Welsh
Newbridge Trecelyn
Newport Casnewydd
Newtonferry Port nan Long Scottish Gaelic
Newtown Y Drenewydd Welsh
Northop Llaneurgain
Orsay Orasaigh Scottish Gaelic
Pembrokeshire Penfro Welsh
Pont Neath Vaughan Pontneddfechan Dated
Port Askaig Port Asgaig Scottish Gaelic
Port Charlotte Port Sgioba
Port Dinorwic Y Felinheli Welsh Dated
Port Ellen Port Ìlain Scottish Gaelic
Port of Ness Port Nis
Portmadoc Porthmadog Welsh Dated
Portnaguran Port nan Giùran Scottish Gaelic
Portnahaven Port na-hAbhainn
Portree Port Righ
Presteigne Llanadras Welsh
Puffin Island Ynys Seiriol
Raasay Ratharsair Scottish Gaelic
Radnor; Radnorshire Maesyfed; Sir Maesyfed Welsh
Rhymney Rhymni
River Forth An Abhainn Dubh Scottish Gaelic
River Severn Hafren Welsh
River Towy Afon Tywi
River Usk Afon Wysg
River Wye Afon Gwy
Rodel Roghadal Scottish Gaelic
Rothesay Baile Bhòid
Saint Asaph Llanelwy Welsh
Saint David's Tyddewi
Saint Kilda Hiort Scottish Gaelic Main island called Hirta
Salen An t-Sàilean
Scalpay Sgalpaigh
Scarinish Sgarainis
Scotland Alba
Skigersta Sgiogarstaigh
Snowdon Yr Wyddfa Welsh
Snowdonia Eryri
Soay Sòdhaigh Scottish Gaelic
South Queensferry Cas ChaolaisFormerly Caschillis
Staffa Stafa
Stein Steinn
Stoneybridge Staoinebrig
Stornoway Steòrnabhagh
Swansea Abertawe Welsh
Tain Baile Dubhthaich Scottish Gaelic
Tarbert Tairbeart
Tarskavaig Tarsgabhaig
Tenby Dynbich-y-pysgod Welsh
The Cobbler Beinn Artair Scottish Gaelic Also called Ben Arthur
Tigharry Taigh a'Gherraidh
Tintern Dindyrn Welsh
Tiree Tiriodh Scottish Gaelic
Tobermory Tobar Mhoire
Torrin Na Torrain
Troon An Truthail
Towyn Tywyn Welsh Dated
Uist Uibhist Scottish Gaelic
Ulva Ulbha
Usk Brynbuga Welsh
Vale of Glamorgan Bro Morgannwg
Vatersay Bhatarsaigh Scottish Gaelic
Wishaw Camasneachdain
Wales Cymru Welsh
Welshpool Y Trallwng
Whitland Hendy-gwyn
Wrexham Wrecsam

United States

Several places in the United States have additional names in various Native languages.

Flag of the United States.svg United States
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Allegheny River Ohi:'i:o Seneca
Mount McKinley Denali Koyukon See Denali-Mount McKinley naming dispute
Mount Rainier Tacoma Salish
Red House Joë'hesta Seneca

Vietnam

All cities and towns are often spelled without diacritics and/or as a single word without spaces. Such names are not listed here.

Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam Việt Nam
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Annamite Range Dãy Trường Sơn Vietnamese
Black River Sông Đà
Faifo [32] Hội An Obsolete
Fansipan Phan Xi Păng
Ha Long Bay Vịnh Hạ Long
Ho Chi Minh City Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
Marble Mountains Ngũ Hành SơnVietnamese name means "Five Elements Mountains"
Mekong RiverSông Mê Kông / Sông Cửu Long
Perfume River Sông HươngVietnamese name means "Fragrant River"
Red River Sông Hồng
West Lake Hồ Tây

Yemen

Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen al-Yaman (ٱلْيَمَنْ)
English nameEndonymNotes
NameLanguage
Socotra Suquṭrā (سُقُطْرَىٰ) Standard Arabic
Saqatri (ساقطري) Soqotri

See also

References

  1. Peeter Päll, Estonia, "Do Romanization Systems Create Exonyms?" UN Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Working Group on Romanization Systems (2002)
  2. Exonyms and the International Standardisation of Geographical Names Peter Jordan, Milan Orožen Adamič, Paul Woodman - 2007- Page 16 "2.2.11 This brings us on to the question of romanization. Does the application of a romanization system turn an endonym into an exonym? In his GeoNames 2000 paper Do Romanization Systems Create Exonyms?, Peeter Päll argued convincingly.."
  3. M. B. Hooker Laws of South-East Asia: The pre-modern texts 1986 - Page 23 "Place names such as Rangoon, Mandalay, Pegu and Moulmein have been left in the English form which is familiar to the non-Burmese reader. Personal names also have been left in the old romanization which seems to be familiar to.."
  4. "algeria | Search Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Utrata Fachwörterbuch: Geographie - Englisch-Deutsch/Deutsch-Englisch by Jürgen Utrata (2014). Retrieved 10 Apr 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Worsch, Wolfgang (2004). Langenscheidt Muret-Sanders Großwörterbuch, Teil II, Deutsch-Englisch , Langenscheidt KG, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, New York, pp. 1269-1272. ISBN   3-468-02126-7.
  7. Willemyns, Roland. Dutch: Biography of a Language. Oxford University Press. 2013.
  8. "Tierra del Fuego Province (Argentina)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  9. Kaske, Elisabeth (2008). "The Politics of Language in Chinese Education". Brill. p. 52. ISBN   978-9004163676.
  10. Man, Bosat (June 1990). "Backhill/Peking/Beijing" (PDF). Sino-Platonic Papers (19): 5.
  11. Chew, Phillis Ghim-Lian (2013). Emergent Lingua Francas and World Orders: The Politics and Place of English as a World Language. Routledge. p. 254. ISBN   978-1135235567.
  12. Forêt, Philippe (2000). Mapping Chengde: The Qing Landscape Enterprise. University of Hawaii Press. p. xv. ISBN   9780824822934.
  13. Webb, Adrian. The Routledge Companion to Central and Eastern Europe since 1919. 2008.
  14. "egypt | Search Online Etymology Dictionary". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Paikkala, Sirkka (April 2023). Toponymic guidelines for map editors and other editors: Finland (PDF). United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, 22nd session, April 2004 (4th, revised ed.). pp. 27–28.
  16. Dorit Diskin Ravid Spelling Morphology 2012- Page 10 "For example, in the Hebraist tradition, current v would be transcribed as either w or b following Hebrew graphemes – so that official place names on road signs in Israel can be quite misleading to non-Hebrew readers traveling around Israel."
  17. "Why is Japan called Japan?". www.jluggage.com. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  18. "Viangchan definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  19. "Wiang Chan". TheFreeDictionary.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
  20. "Casablanca: Attractive places in the biggest city of morocco". Friendly Morocco. 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  21. "morocco | Etymology, origin and meaning of morocco by etymonline". www.etymonline.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  22. York, Rob (2014-02-07). "Why is North Korea called the DPRK? | NK News". NK News - North Korea News. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  23. Robert D. Kaplan. Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History. 1993. (Picador, 2014.) p. 119. ISBN   9781466868304
  24. Bewes, Diccon. Swiss Watching: Inside the Land of Milk and Honey. p.vii. 2012.
  25. "Bangkok | Location, History, Population, Map, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  26. "The word Quemoy has existed for about 400 years" (PDF). 2013-04-29. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  27. Exonyms and the International Standardisation of Geographical Names: Approaches towards the Resolution of an Apparent Contradiction Peter Jordan, Milan Orožen Adamič, Paul Woodman, Vienna 2007 Page 210 [lists Istanbul, as an English exonym of İstanbul. Istanbul appears to be the only English exonym listed for any Turkish city].
  28. Lonely Planet Turkey ed. Verity Campbell 2007 Page 233 "There are also flights between İzmir and Europe on various European airlines (see p672). With the launch of İzmir Airlines, direct flights to Europe will greatly increase, and İzmir is billed to become one of Turkey's biggest hubs." and Page 291 "Original İznik tiles are antiquities and cannot be exported from Turkey, but new tiles make great, if not particularly cheap, souvenirs."
  29. James Steele (1990). Turkey - A Traveller's Historical and Architectural Guide. Scorpion. pp. 161–162. ISBN   0-905906-72-1.
  30. Carter, Phillip M. (2023-02-16). "Why does Turkey want other countries to start spelling its name 'Türkiye'?". The Conversation. Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  31. "General Assembly Adopts Resolution Urging Russian Federation to Withdraw Its Armed Forces from Crimea, Expressing Grave Concern about Rising Military Presence | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  32. Jean-Pierre Duteil Alexandre de Rhodes' Histoire du royaume du Tonkin 1999 Page 37 "Tourane se développe aux dépends de Faifo à la fin du XVIfle siècle, et l'éclipsé à peu près complètement au XTXe. "Faifo" doit son nom au "marché" (phô) de Hôi an (Hôi-an phô). "Tourane" correspondrait à la pronunciation chinoise de .."