City Name Changes

[dwaxe]

Byzantium. Constantinople. Istanbul. All one city.

It got me wondering, what city has had the most de facto name changes throughout history? De jure?

 

[warpus]

Kendros, Bulgaria → Odryssa → Eumolpia → Philipopolis → Trimontium → Ulpia → Flavia → Julia → Paldin/Ploudin → Poulpoudeva → Filibe → Plovdiv

maybe

 

[bombshoo]

I think it's difficult to determine if a city just has had a name change or if it's a completely new city on the same, or nearly same spot.

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam. Why they changed it? I can't say. I guess some people just liked it better that way.

 

[7ronin]

Yeah? That's nobody's business but the Turks.

 

[exhile]

Saigon changed its name to Ho Chi Minh City after the Vietnam War.

 

[madviking]

Saint Petersburg -> Petrograd -> Leningrad -> Saint Petersburg

 

[Bamspeedy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_city_name_changes

Does appear that the city warpus posted is the longest with 12 (a few others had 9 name changes). Pyongyang might tie that city, but I don't know if it counts as I don't know if some of the names were official changes or just names used at the same time other names were used (and why they are separated by ; rather than &#8594

Wanggŏmsŏng → Sŏgyŏng → Ryugyŏng; Kisŏng; Hwangsŏng; Rangrang; Sŏgyŏng; Sŏdo; Hogyŏng; Changan → Heijō → Pyongyang

 

[Perfection]

Pig’s Eye → St. Paul

 

[7ronin]

Some long and/or interesting changes:

Brazil: Neu-Zürich → Dalbérgia → Neu Breslau → Presidente Getúlio
Japan: Koromo → Toyota [renamed after the automobile manufacturer which is located there]
Japan: Edo → Tokyo [renamed to reflect the relocation of the emperor and the court]
Slovenia: Egida → Capris → Justinopolis → Caput Histriae → Koper/Capodistria
UK: Efrawg → Eboracum/Eburacum → Eoferwic → Jorvik → York
UK: Londinium → Lundenwic → Lundenburgh → London
US: Fort Duquesne → Fort Pitt → Pittsburgh → Pittsburg → Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)
US: Swilling’s Mill → Hellinwg Mill → Mill City → East Phoenix → Phoenix (Arizona)
US: Hot Springs → Truth or Consequences (New Mexico)[renamed after a television game show]

 

[dannyshenanigan]

I always liked Tsaritsyn→Stalingrad→Volgograd.

 

[warpus]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_city_name_changes

Does appear that the city warpus posted is the longest with 12 (a few others had 9 name changes). Pyongyang might tie that city, but I don't know if it counts as I don't know if some of the names were official changes or just names used at the same time other names were used (and why they are separated by ; rather than &#8594

Yeah, that's where I got it from. Just kinda scanned quickly down the list until I ran into that long list of changes..

 

[Winner]

Bratislava -> Brezalauspurc, Pressburg, Pozsony...

 

[madviking]

Bratislava -> Brezalauspurc, Pressburg, Pozsony...

Those aren't name changes, those are just the same city in different languages.

 

[Winner]

In Slovakia they count as name changes...

 

[pesgores]

Portugal

Aeminium → Coimbra
Bracara Augusta → Braga
Conimbriga → Condeixa-a-Nova
Iebora → Évora
Olisipo → Al-Usbuna → Lisbon (Lisboa)
Pax Iulia → Beja
Portus Cale → Porto (Oporto)
Sheberina → Serpa
Sintara → Sintra
Villa Euracini → Vila Ueracin (1206) → Varazim (1308) → Póvoa de Varzim

Many cities' original names were roman (official original names, that is, I am sure they had other names before the romans arrived )

 

[GinandTonic]

UK: Londinium → Lundenwic → Lundenburgh → London

IIRC there is a period of uncertain habitation c. lundenwic, which in any event was well outside the old city walls of londinium, which may or may not still have been a fortified encampment. In any event not really the same city as such.

 

[Agarwaen]

Portugal

Aeminium → Coimbra
Bracara Augusta → Braga
Conimbriga → Condeixa-a-Nova
Iebora → Évora
Olisipo → Al-Usbuna → Lisbon (Lisboa)
Pax Iulia → Beja
Portus Cale → Porto (Oporto)
Sheberina → Serpa
Sintara → Sintra
Villa Euracini → Vila Ueracin (1206) → Varazim (1308) → Póvoa de Varzim

Many cities' original names were roman (official original names, that is, I am sure they had other names before the romans arrived )

Before the Romans there were Celtic names no? At least in part of the country?

 

[Joecoolyo]

I think it's difficult to determine if a city just has had a name change or if it's a completely new city on the same, or nearly same spot.

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam. Why they changed it? I can't say. I guess some people just liked it better that way.

Well, once the English took over, they decided New Amsterdam was too "Dutch" of a name, so they decided to name it after one of their own cities (guess).

 

[pesgores]

Before the Romans there were Celtic names no? At least in part of the country?

Not that we know of. The most ancient names we get are the Roman ones. Maybe the romans erased all primitive celt records, somehow? Or they just weren't named back when the Celts were around?

 

[say1988]

Yeah? That's nobody's business but the Turks.

It is their delight, on a moonlit night.

Pittsburgh → Pittsburg → Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)

That is really just a change in spelling, not the name.