Dualnaming

Dualnaming is the practice of giving a single place, feature, or institution two official names, typically in different languages or scripts. It is a form of toponymy that records linguistic and cultural diversity by recognizing both an endonym (the name used by local people) and an exonym (a name used by outsiders), or by using dual spellings.

Common contexts include geographic locations such as cities, mountains, rivers, or regions, as well as official buildings, organizations, and maps. Dual names may appear on road signs, government documents, school materials, and geographic databases.

Rationale for dual naming includes acknowledging indigenous or minority languages and rights, supporting cultural preservation, reducing linguistic discrimination, and reflecting historical claims. It can facilitate tourism, education, and international cooperation by making information accessible to multiple language communities.

Implementation varies by country but typically involves legislation or policy to recognize two names, creation of bilingual or multilingual signage, and updating geographic registries and maps. Some places use both the local name and a historic or exonym side by side.

Challenges and debates include questions of who decides the names, potential confusion for travelers, costs of updating signs and databases, and concerns that dual naming may privilege one language over another or revive colonial or discriminatory practices.

Notable examples include Aoraki / Mount Cook in New Zealand; Helsinki / Helsingfors in Finland, where signs often display both Finnish and Swedish names; Brussels / Bruxelles / Brussel in Belgium's multilingual environment; and Nuuk / Godthab in Greenland.

Related terms include endonym, exonym, and toponymy.