DNA Explainer: Why has Turkey changed its name to Türkiye?

Turkey will now officially be known as Türkiye at the United Nations from henceforth, after it agreed to a formal request from Ankara. This is a part of a rebranding campaign launched by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late last year. Henceforth international bodies will be asked to make the name change. 

Most Turks already know their country as Türkiye. However the anglicised form Turkey is widely used, even within the country, reports BBC. After this change, 'Made in Türkiye' will feature on all exported products. In January this year a tourism campaign was launched with the catch-phrase, 'Hello Türkiye'.

Read | Turkey desires to be called 'Turkiye', country sends official request to UN

While the two names are pronounced similarly, Türkiye features a third syllable, which is pronounced something like 'yay'.

How Turkey got its name?

According to Turkish state-owned media TRT World, the name change has not only been done to strengthen the country's brand but to also dissociate itself from the north American bird Meleagris, usually eaten in Thanksgiving dinners.

The reason for its name is due to the turkey's similarities to the guinea fowl, which were imported via the Ottoman Empire at the time European colonisers discovered the Americas and, subsequently, the turkey bird. The republic of Turkey isn't exactly a breeding ground for the bird that Americans associate with Thanksgiving. In fact, the turkey bird is native to North America.

The English word Turkey has been used to refer to 'land occupied by the Turks' since the 1300s. It was even used by Chaucer in The Book of the Duchess. The land occupied by the Turks was known as the Ottoman Empire from the 1300s until 1922.

Why Turkey wants to change its name?

Erdogan wanted name change since long. He argues that the country would be better represented with the Turkish name instead of sharing the same word with a bird.

It also pointed out the Cambridge English Dictionary's definition of one of the meanings of the word as 'something that fails badly' or 'a stupid or silly person'.

Turkey the bird is called by a different name in many languages, such as 'peru' in Portuguese. You will be surprised to know that the Turkish word for a turkey is 'Hindi'. 

How people are reacting?

Many social media users refer to this fact to criticise the Turkish government's move as absurd, while others agree that it was a necessary rebranding.

Some say it is an ineffective distraction as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gears up for elections next year, amid an economic crisis and increasing inflation.

Countries that changed its name in the past

In 2020, The Netherlands dropped the name Holland in a rebranding move.

Macedonia changed its name to North Macedonia due to a political dispute with Greece.

Swaziland, a landlocked country in Southern Africa became Eswatini in 2018.

Iran used to be called Persia, Siam is now Thailand, and Rhodesia was changed to Zimbabwe.