English exonyms

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". 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). However old romanization systems may leave a legacy of "familiar" spellings, as in the case of, for example, romanization of Burmese. 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.

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

Thailand was known as Siam in English until the Siamese revolution of 1932. + Prathet Thai (ประเทศไทย)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageBangkokKrung Thep (กรุงเทพ)ThaiBangkok 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. 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. Mekong RiverMaenam Khong (แม่น้ำโขง)ThaiSingoraSongkhla (สงขลา)ThaiObsolete

+ TürkiyeEnglish nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageAdaliaAntalyaTurkishDatedAdrianopleEdirneTurkishDatedAlexandrettaİskenderunTurkishDatedAnemuriumAnamurTurkishDatedAntiochAntakyaTurkishDatedBosphorusBoǧaziçiTurkishByzantiumİstanbulTurkishObsoleteCaesereaKayseriTurkishDatedCappadociaKapadokyaTurkishClaudiopolisMutTurkishDatedConstantinopleİstanbulTurkishDatedDardanellesÇanakkale BoǧazıTurkishEdessa(Sanlı)urfaTurkishDatedEphesusEfesTurkishDatedEuphrates RiverFıratTurkishGallipoliGeliboluTurkishDatedHalicarnassusBodrumTurkishDatedHeraclea PonticaKaradeniz EreǧliTurkishDatedIconiumKonyaTurkishDatedImbrosGökçeadaTurkishGreek nameIstanbulİstanbulTurkishSome consider Istanbul to be an English exonym of İstanbul. Normally spelled without İ in English, even in sources which would otherwise use it. KerasousGiresunTurkishDatedLarandaKaramanTurkishDatedMagnesia ad SipylumManisaTurkishDatedNicaeaIznikTurkishDatedNicomediaIzmitTurkishDatedPergamonBergamaTurkishDatedPhiladelphiaAlaşehirTurkishDatedPrusaBursaTurkishDatedScutariÜsküdarTurkishDatedSeleuciaSilifkeTurkishDatedSmyrnaİzmirTurkishDatedTenedosBozcaadaTurkishGreek nameThraceTrakyaTurkishTigris RiverDicleTurkishTrallesAydınTurkishDatedTrebizondTrabzonTurkishDated
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. However, the majority of English speakers still refer to the country as Turkey in daily use.

+ Ukrayina (Україна)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageBlack SeaChorne (Чорне)UkrainianCarpathian RutheniaKarpatska Rus' (Карпатська Русь)UkrainianHistoric regionCarpathian UkraineKarpatska Ukrayina (Карпатська Україна)UkrainianHistoric regionChernobylChornobyl (Чорнобиль)UkrainianRussian nameCrimeaKrym (Крим)UkrainianRegion claimed by Russia, but many nations do not recognize it as part of Russia Danube RiverDunai (Дунай)UkrainianGaliciaHalychyna (Галичина)UkrainianHistoric regionGorlovkaHorlivka (Горлівка)UkrainianArchaic, Russian nameKharkovKharkiv (Харків)UkrainianArchaic, Russian nameKievKyiv (Київ)UkrainianRussian 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 RogKryvyi Rih (Кривиі Ріг)UkrainianArchaic, Russian namePodoliaPodillia (Поділля)UkrainianHistoric regionSubcarpathiaPidkarpattia (Підкарпаття)UkrainianHistoric regionSubcarpathian Ruthenia, Subcarpathian RusPidkarpatska Rus' (Підкарпатська Русь)UkrainianHistoric regionTranscarpathiaZakarpattia (Закарпаття)UkrainianTranscarpathian Ukraine Zakarpatska Ukrayina (Закарпатська Україна)UkrainianVolhyniaVolyn' (Волинь)UkrainianHistoric region