Pacific island nation Nauru officially changes name to ‘Naoero’

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters, reported that the Pacific island nation long known internationally as Nauru has formally adopted the name Republic of Naoero, restoring a traditional name that officials say predates colonial influence. The report, published July 31, 2026, said the country’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment in May, and President David Adeang later confirmed on social media that a planned referendum would not go ahead.

According to the report, Adeang said the government concluded that public approval through a referendum was unnecessary because Naoero was already part of the country’s identity, including its coat of arms and everyday community use, and was permitted under the constitution. The country’s short-form name is now Naoero, and its citizens are to be referred to as dei-Naoero. The government has begun notifying foreign governments and international bodies as the transition proceeds.

The change matters because it is being presented as a cultural and historical correction, not merely an administrative rebrand. Al Jazeera reported that the name Nauru emerged through European colonisation, when the island’s Indigenous name, Naoero, was changed because outsiders found it difficult to pronounce. Adeang framed the decision as connected to ancestral legacy and future generations, rather than partisan politics.

Naoero is one of the world’s smallest states, with about 12,000 people, according to the article. The report also noted that the local language, dorerin Naoero, is classified by UNESCO as severely endangered. While still spoken in the community, it is not currently taught in schools, though legislation passed last year is expected to bring it into the curriculum.