Pacific Island Nauru Officially Changes Name to Naoero, President Tells UN

The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially changed its name to Naoero, according to President David Ranibok Adeang's address at the United Nations. The change, which was approved by Parliament in May 2026, aims to better reflect the country's traditional name and identity. President Adeang, speaking at the UN General Assembly session on September 22, highlighted that the name Nauru emerged as foreigners adapted the island's pronunciation, while Naoero was the name used by its people.

He emphasized that Naoero is not a new name but the one traditionally used among the Nauruan people. The change was part of a constitutional amendment process that began in January 2026, with the bill proposing to replace references to "Nauru" with "Naoero" in the constitution and laws. Parliament approved the amendment in May and completed the process in May 2026, a year after the island was officially known as Nauru.

The official English short name associated with the country's code, NRU, has also been updated to NRO, and citizens are now known as dei-Naoero. Despite the change, Naoero's rich history and Micronesian roots remain intact, with the island having been inhabited by Micronesian migrants for thousands of years.