[hn_throwaway_99]

Many central banks are named "Bank of <Country Name>", like Bank of England (for historical reasons not Bank of UK), Bank of Germany, Bank of France (Banque de France) or Bank of Spain (Banco de España). If we had a private "Bank of The United States", then yes, that would be confusing, but no official institutions are named "BlahBlah of America".

Also, the fact that the official central bank is so close at "The Reserve Bank of New Zealand" makes it more confusing for those unfamiliar.

[WillPostForFood]

no official institutions are named "BlahBlah of America".

The only one I can think of is Voice of America. Definitely none of the major departments or agencies.

[happymellon]

The German central bank is The Deutsche Bundesbank,which literally means "German Federal Bank" not "Bank of Germany".

[iggldiggl]

Also regarding the putative "Bank of Germany" – in German "Deutsche Bank" (literally "German Bank") sounds more natural than "Bank von Deutschland" (if you literally translate "Bank of Germany"), and there actually is a "Deutsche Bank", but it is a private entity (and always has been).

[happymellon]

Indeed, which is why I found it very odd that the two people who tried to argue that it is common then used Germany.