Because many Nauruans felt their nation’s name no longer reflected their identity, parliament recently voted to amend the Constitution, replacing “Nauru” with “Naoero,” the name in the island’s local tongue. This change, if approved in an upcoming referendum, aims to restore cultural authenticity and rectify what some see as colonial-era distortion.
This move is rooted in decades of history. While “Naoero” is how locals have always referred to their homeland in Dorerin Naoero, “Nauru” emerged through European colonial administrators who found the indigenous name hard to pronounce. President David Adeang formally introduced the amendment in January 2026, citing the desire to “more faithfully honour our nation’s heritage, our language, and our identity.”
Nauru is a tiny republic carved into the Pacific. It spans about 21 square kilometres—roughly the area of London’s Westminster—and hosts a population close to 12,000 people. Declared independent on January 31, 1968, it is one of the world’s smallest independent republics, third-smallest by land among all sovereign states after Vatican City and Monaco.
Why the change matters
Many nations once renamed places as part of colonial domination—altering Indigenous place names to colonizers’ versions was commonplace. For Nauru, the shift to “Naoero” means reclaiming linguistic and cultural narratives that colonial rule suppressed.
President Adeang pointed to international precedents such as Türkiye (formerly Turkey), Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and Chuuk (formerly Truk) to illustrate this kind of decolonisation through official renaming. The government emphasized that changing the name isn’t merely symbolic: all official documents, emblems, treaties, and even references to the country in international forums would adopt “Naoero” once the amendment passes.
Parliamentary approval and required referendum
On May 13, 2026, Nauru’s parliament passed the constitutional amendment unanimously among the quorum of its 16 members, which surpassed the two-thirds majority needed under law. The change now heads to a national referendum, the next required step under the Constitution, which will determine whether “Naoero” becomes the country’s legal name.
Other names Nauru has held
– “Pleasant Island”: Named by Captain John Fearn in 1798 during first European contact.
– “Schank Island,” “Atlantic Island,” “Nawodo,” “Navoda,” “Anaoero,” “Onawero”: Variations that emerged over time through colonial records and transcription efforts.
Colonial administrations—from Germany in 1888, to a League of Nations mandate ruled by Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom after World War I—preserved “Nauru” in international affairs, solidifying it into legal documents.
What this means globally
If approved in the referendum, the name change will affect international recognition—including how other nations, global organisations, and mapping services refer to Nauru. President Adeang has stated that every formal document and representation, from state symbols to diplomatic treaties, will shift to “Naoero.”
The timing of this decision coincides with a broader global movement of reclaiming Indigenous place names—countries like Eswatini, Türkiye, and Chuuk have undertaken official spelling changes to align better with native pronunciation and identity.
Looking ahead, the country will await the outcome of the referendum. Should “Naoero” become official, international references—from passports to UN membership—will follow suit.
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