Nauru MPs approve name change to Naoero ahead of referendum

Nauru could soon officially be known as Naoero after parliament approved a constitutional amendment backing the name change.

The decision now moves to a national referendum before it can become law.

Nauru’s parliament on Tuesday passed a constitutional amendment to rename the country "Naoero", RNZ Pacific reported, marking a major step in a process the government says is about restoring language and identity.

The proposal was first put forward by President David Adeang in January.

In his second reading speech on 29 January, Adeang said: "while the name Nauru has been recognised internationally since independence, this proposed change seeks to more faithfully honour our nation's heritage, our language, and our identity".

The amendment was passed on Tuesday by the 16 MPs present, meeting the two-thirds majority required.

Nauru’s parliament has approved a constitutional change to rename the country Naoero, with a referendum still to come. Photo/Nauru government

A national referendum will now be held to complete the constitutional process.

If approved, the change will be reflected across official records, national symbols, and Nauru’s international identity, including at the United Nations.

The government says the move is part of a wider effort to better reflect the country’s language and cultural identity.

In January, it said the name Nauru became widely used after Naoero was difficult for foreign speakers to pronounce.

“[It] was changed not by our choice, but for convenience,” the government said.

It added that other countries have made similar changes to better reflect their own languages and cultures, pointing to examples such as Eswatini, Türkiye, and Chuuk in the Pacific region.

The proposal is now expected to go to voters in a national referendum, which will decide whether the change is formally adopted.

According to New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Nauru is the world’s smallest independent republic, with a population of around 12,000 people and a land area of just 21 square kilometres.

If the referendum passes, Naoero would become the country’s official name across domestic and international use.