renamed

Renamed is the past tense and past participle of rename, a verb meaning to assign a new name to a person, place, thing, or organization. The action may reflect political change, rebranding, clarification, or an official redesignation, and it can occur in formal records or everyday language.

Etymology and form: Rename is formed from the prefix re- meaning again or anew, plus name. Renamed indicates that the naming change has already occurred. In addition to its verbal use, renamed can function as an adjective in expressions like “the renamed city,” describing something that now bears a different name.

Usage: Renamed is commonly used in passive constructions: “The city was renamed in 1991.” It appears in historical accounts, legal documents, and news reports. In computing and publishing, renamed describes items whose identifiers have been changed, such as files or products: “the file was renamed to avoid confusion.” In linguistic and cultural contexts, renaming can reflect shifts in identity, governance, or branding.

Examples: Historical name changes include New Amsterdam becoming New York in 1664 and St. Petersburg becoming Leningrad in 1924, later reverting to Saint Petersburg in 1991. Country names have also changed or been contested, such as Burma being renamed Myanmar in 1989, a move debated in international usage. In contemporary business, companies may rename for strategic rebranding, mergers, or shifts in market positioning.

See also: Rename, Renaming, Rebranding, Toponymy, Nomenclature.