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). Endonyms and exonyms are features of all languages, and other languages may have their own exonym for English endonyms, for example 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).Peeter Päll, Estonia, "Do Romanization Systems Create Exonyms?" UN Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Working Group on Romanization Systems (2002)Exonyms and the International Standardisation of Geographical Names Peter Jordan, Milan Orožen Adamič, Paul Woodman - 2007- Page 16 "2.2.11 This brings us on to the question of romanization. Does the application of a romanization system turn an endonym into an exonym? In his GeoNames 2000 paper Do Romanization Systems Create Exonyms?, Peeter Päll argued convincingly.." However old romanization systems may leave a legacy of "familiar" spellings, as in the case of, for example, romanization of Burmese.M. B. Hooker Laws of South-East Asia: The pre-modern texts 1986 - Page 23 "Place names such as Rangoon, Mandalay, Pegu and Moulmein have been left in the English form which is familiar to the non-Burmese reader. Personal names also have been left in the old romanization which seems to be familiar to.." This affects romanization of Arabic, romanization of Chinese, and many other non-Latin alphabet place names. Stripping diacritics of Latin alphabet names are also not regarded as exonyms.
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.
General This section lists English-language exonyms that are for places located in multiple countries, English names of countries, and typical patterns.
Countries and territories The following is a list of countries and territories whose names in local languages differ from their (non-local) English ones. The list includes countries with limited recognition, autonomous territories of sovereign countries, and fully sovereign countries.
Country names are listed in their short form, and do not include names spelled identically in English. Near-identical names in pronunciation or spelling are included, but countries named with non-proper nouns (like Central African Republic or United Arab Emirates) are not. It is debatable whether the mere omission of a diacritical mark (as in several instances in the table below) creates an exonym.
The languages listed are official languages and/or prominent local languages, except if the name for the associated country is spelled the same as in English. Languages in italics are no longer spoken in the given country, but the name listed retains some use.
Likewise, exonyms in italics are obsolete or are disputed. +Countries and territoriesEnglish nameEndonymLanguageShqipëri(a)Standard AlbanianShqipyni(a)Gheg AlbanianAl-Dzāyīr (الدزاير)Maghrebi ArabicAl-Jazā'ir (الجزائر)Standard ArabicHayastan (Հայաստան)ArmenianÖsterreichStandard GermanBelgiëDutchBelgienStandard GermanBelgiqueFrenchDruk Yul (འབྲུག་ཡུལ་)DzongkhaBosna & Hercegovina (Босна & Херцеговина)BosnianBrasilPortugueseBalgariya (България)BulgarianKampuciə (កម្ពុជា)KhmerZhōngguó (中国)MandarinComoresFrenchJuzur Al-Qamar (جزر القمر)Standard ArabicKomoriComorianHrvatskaCroatianKıbrısTurkishKýpros (Κύπρος)Greek, CzechiaČeská republika, ČeskoCzechDanmarkDanishDominiqueFrenchWai'tu kubuliIsland CaribMaṣr (مَصر)Egyptian ArabicMiṣr (مِصر)Standard ArabicErtra (ኤርትራ)Tigrinya‘Iritriyā (إرتريا)Standard ArabicEestiEstonianItiyoophiyaaAfarItoobiyaSomaliItoophiyaaOromoʾĪtyōṗṗyā (ኢትዮጵያ)AmharicTigrinyaSuomiFinnishSakartvelo (საქართველო)GeorgianDeutschlandStandard GermanElládha (Ελλάδα)GreekXiānggǎng ChineseMagyarországHungarianÍslandIcelandicBhaaratham (ഭാരതം)MalayalamBhārat (भारत)MarathiDogriHindiMaithiliNepaliBhārat (ભારત)GujaratiBhārat (بًارت \ भारत)KashmiriBhārat (بھارت \ ਭਾਰਤ)PunjabiBhārat (ڀارت \ भारत)SindhiBhārat (بھارت)UrduBhārata (ಭಾರತ)KannadaBhāratam (भारतम्)SanskritBhārathadeśaṁ (భారతదేశం)TeluguBhāratham (பாரதம்)TamilBharot (भारत)KonkaniBhārot (ভারত)BengaliBhārôt (ভাৰত)AssameseMeiteiBhārôt (भारत)BodoBhārôtô (ଭାରତ)OdiaSiñôt (ᱥᱤᱧᱚᱛ)SantaliItaliaStandard ItalianNihon / Nippon (日本)JapaneseAl-'Urdunn (الأردن)Standard ArabicQazaqstan (Қазақстан)KazakhLāo (ລາວ)LaoLəbnēn (لبنان)Levantine ArabicLubnān (لبنان)Standard ArabicLībiyā (ليبيا)LietuvaLithuanianMadagasikaraMalagasyDhivehi Raajje (ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ )DhivehiAgawejBerberCengiṭGànnaarWolofMauritanieFrenchMoritaniPulaarMūrītānyā (موريتانيا)Standard ArabicMurutaaneSoninkeMauriceFrenchMorisMauritian CreoleMoldaviya (Молдавия)RussianMónegueOccitanMùneguLigurianMongol Uls (Монгол Улс)MongolianCrna Gora (Црна Гора)MontenegrinAl-Maġrib (المغرب)Standard Arabiclmeɣrib (ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ)Standard Moroccan TamazightMarocFrenchMoçambiquePortugueseMsumbijiSwahiliMozambikiChewaMuzambhikiTsongaMyǎma (မြန်မာ)BurmeseNaoeroNauruanNederlandDutchChosŏn (조선)KoreanMaqedonia e VeriutAlbanianSeverna Makedonija (Северна Македонија)MacedonianNöörjaSouthern SamiNoregNorwegian NynorskNorgaNorthern SamiNorgeNorwegian BokmålVuodnaLule Sami'Umān (عمان)Standard ArabicBelauPalauanParao (パラオ)JapaneseFilasṭīn (فلسطين)Standard ArabicPilipinasTagalogPolskaPolishRossíya (Росси́я)Russianal-Suʿūdiyya (ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة)Standard ArabicSrbijaSerbianCiṅkappūr (சிங்கப்பூர்)TamilSingapuraMalayXīnjiāpō (新加坡)MandarinSlovenskoSlovakHanguk (한국)KoreanPaguot ThudänDinkaAlaniya (Алания)RussianAllonston (Аллонстон)OssetianEspainiaBasqueEspañaGalicianSpanishEspanhaOccitanEspanyaCatalanSverigeSwedishHelvetiaLatinSchweizStandard GermanSuisseFrenchSvizraRomanshSvizzeraStandard ItalianSūriyā (سوريا)Standard ArabicTojikiston (Тоҷикистон)TajikPratheṣ̄thịy (ประเทศไทย)ThaiNistrenia (Нистрения)RomanianPridnestrovye (Приднестровье)RussianPrydnistrovya (Придністров'я)UkrainianTunestBerberTunisieFrenchTūnis (تونس)Standard ArabicTürkiyeTurkishUkrajina (Україна)UkrainianOʻzbekiston (Ўзбекистон)UzbekStato della Città del VaticanoStandard ItalianStatus Civitatis VaticanaeLatinAl-Yaman (اَلْيَمَنُ)Standard Arabic
Other territories The following is a list of other territories/regions which are not deemed as countries or sovereign states. +Other territoriesEnglish nameEndonymLanguageElsassGermanElsàssAlsatianPaís VascoSpanishEuskadiBasqueBayernGermanBoarnBavarianČechyCzechBöhmenGermanBretagneFrenchBreizhBretonCatalunyaCatalanCataluñaSpanishKernowCornishKrym (Крым)RussianKrym (Крим)UkrainianQırımCrimean TatarFærøerneDanishFøroyarFaroeseVlaanderenDutchFryslânFrisianGalizaGalicianGrønlandDanishKalaallit NunaatGreenlandicKaszubyPolishKaszëbëKashubianLombardiaItalianMoravaCzechMährenGermanPiemonteItalianPiemontPiedmontesePomorzePolishPommernGermanSiciliaItalianSicilianŚląskPolishSlezskoCzechŚlōnskSilesianSchlesienGermanXīzàng (西藏)MandarinBöd (བོད)TibetanCymruWelshWallonieFrench
Specific countries
Albania + ShqipëriaEnglish nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageDurazzoDurrësAlbanianDated, Italian nameTiranaTiranëAlbanianTirana is Albanian for "the Tirana"
Algeria + Al-Jazā'ir (الجزائر)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageAlgiersAl-Jazā'ir (الجَزائر)Standard ArabicConstantineQusanṭīnah (قسنطينة)OranWahrān (وَهران) Name of the country and its capital city in Arabic, Al-Jazā'ir (الجزائر), is Arabic for "the islands".
Armenia + Hayastan (Հայաստան)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageArarat PlainAraratyan dasht (Արարատյան դաշտ)ArmenianIğdır OvasıTurkish
Austria
+ ÖsterreichEnglish nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageAmmergau AlpsAmmergebirgeUtrata Fachwörterbuch: Geographie - Englisch-Deutsch/Deutsch-Englisch by Jürgen Utrata (2014). Retrieved 10 Apr 2014.GermanBavarian PrealpsBayerische VoralpenCarinthiaKärntenWorsch, Wolfgang (2004). Langenscheidt Muret-Sanders Großwörterbuch, Teil II, Deutsch-Englisch , Langenscheidt KG, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, New York, pp. 1269-1272. .Carpathian BasinKarpatenbeckenDanube riverDonauDravaDrauDraveDatedLake ConstanceBodenseeNorthern Limestone AlpsNördliche KalkalpenSouthern Limestone AlpsSüdliche KalkalpenStyriaSteiermarkTyrolTirolViennaWienWettersteinWettersteingebirge
Azerbaijan + AzərbaycanEnglish nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageCaucasusQafqazAzeriSumgaitSumqayıt
Belgium Historically, English borrowed French names for many places in Dutch-speaking areas of Belgium. With a few exceptions this practice is no longer followed by most sources.Willemyns, Roland. Dutch: Biography of a Language. Oxford University Press. 2013. + België/ BelgiqueEnglish nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageAntwerpAntwerpenDutchBrugesBruggeFrench nameBrusselsBrusselBruxellesFrenchCourtraiKortrijkDutchArchaic, French nameFilfordVilvoordeArchaicFlandersVlaanderenGauntGentArchaicGhentLouvainLeuvenArchaic, French nameMechlinMechelenArchaicOstendOostendeWalloniaWallonieFrenchYpresIeperDutchFrench name
Bosnia & Herzegovina + Bosna & Hercegovina (Босна & Херцеговина)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageBosniaBosna (Босна)BosnianHerzegovinaHercegovina (Херцеговина)German spelling, English name pronounced the sameNarentaNeretva (Неретва)Italian name, sometimes used in English
Bulgaria + Balgariya (България)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageBalkan MountainsStara Planina (Стара Планина)BulgarianDanube riverDunav (Дунав)PhilippopolisPlovdiv (Пловдив)ArchaicRhodope MountainsRodopi (Родопи)Southern DobrujaDobrudzha (Добруджа)Bulgarian half of former Dobruja regionThraceTrakiya (Тракия)
Canada Numerous places in the predominantly French speaking province of Quebec have historically had English exonyms; in most cases, the English name was a straight translation of the place's French endonym, with only one major city which ever had an English exonym. With a few exceptions, such as Quebec City, these are no longer widely used. Exonyms are also commonly seen with regard to First Nations and Inuit peoples and communities; although government and media sources have evolved in recent years toward using these places' native endonyms, common usage may still favour the older exonyms. +English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguageArctic Red RiverTsiigehtchicGwich'inArchaicBig Trout LakeKitchenuhmaykoosibOji-CreeCambridge BayIqaluktuuttiaqInuinnaqtunChesterfield InletIgluligaarjuk (ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᒃ)InuktitutFort FranklinDélįnęSahtuArchaicFort HopeEabametoongOjibweFort NormanTulitaSahtuArchaicFraservilleRivière-du-LoupFrenchFrobisher BayIqaluit (ᐃᖃᓗᐃᑦ)InuktitutGjoa HavenUqsuqtuuq (ᐅᖅᓱᖅᑑᖅ)HolmanUlukhaktokInuinnaqtunArchaicHarrington LakeLac MousseauFrenchIroquois RiverRivière RichelieuArchaicIsland of OrleansÎle d'OrléansLansdowne HouseNeskantagaOji-CreeMount RoyalMont-RoyalFrenchQuebec CityQuébecQueen Charlotte IslandHaida GwaiiHaidaArchaicRankin InletKangiqliniq (ᑲᖏᕿᓂᖅ)InuktitutSaint AndrewSaint-André-d'ArgenteuilFrenchArchaicSaint JohnSaint-Jean-sur-RichelieuSummer BeaverNibinamik (ᓃᐱᓇᒥᐦᐠ)OjibweThe River OuseLa Rivière GrandFrench ArchaicKenhionhata:tieMohawkWhale CoveTikiraqjuaq (ᑎᑭᕋᕐᔪᐊᖅ)Inuktitut
Cambodia During the Khmer Rouge period (1975–1979), the country was known in English as Democratic Kampuchea, closer to the endonym than its modern English exonym. The English exonym of Cambodia is based on the French exonym, Cambodge. The endonym is sometimes used in English, but the exonym is far more common. + Kampuchea (កម្ពុជា)English nameEndonymNotesNameLanguagePhnom PenhPhnum Pénh (ភ្នំពេញគ)KhmerSihanoukvilleKrong Preah Sihanouk (ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ)Kampong Som (កំពង់សោម)