Pacific island nation Nauru officially changes name to ‘Naoero’

The Pacific island nation has completed a formal transition to its pre-colonial identity. Nauru's parliament approved a constitutional amendment in May, and President David Adeang announced via social media that plans for a public referendum had been abandoned. According to Adeang, this reflected recognition that Naoero already represented the people's established identity rather than a new designation requiring approval. The name appears on the national coat of arms and remains in use within the community, factors that informed the decision to proceed without a referendum vote.

The country's official designation is now the Republic of Naoero, with citizens identified as dei-Naoero. The government has notified international organisations and other nations of the change, with transition procedures already in motion. The original name Nauru emerged during European colonisation, when colonial administrators altered the indigenous Naoero because they found it difficult to pronounce.

Nauru ranks as the world's third-smallest nation by area, following Vatican City and Monaco, with approximately 12,000 residents. Adeang characterised the renaming as a heritage initiative rather than a political manoeuvre, framing it as preservation of ancestral legacy while supporting future generations. The Nauruan language, locally termed dorerin Naoero, holds UNESCO classification as severely endangered. Although still spoken within communities, it has not been taught in schools, though the government enacted legislation to incorporate it into educational curricula in coming years.