[ben_w]

Indeed. While I was surprised by the name, I quickly noticed that this was a vibes-based reaction.

I'm British by birth, I grew up with news stories about the IRA, and the second-largest city in Northern Ireland is either "Derry" or "Londonderry" depending on if you're a Republican* or a Unionist.

The English Channel, if you're French, is La Manche.

The country I currently live in is Saksa in Finish, Tyskland in Danish, Allemagne in French, Niemcy in Polish, or Germany in English, none of which is close to the endonym of Deutschland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Germany_Name_European_Lan...

* i.e. "not a monarchist" — this has nothing to do with the US political party.

[mathieuh]

It's only Londonderry to a minority of loyalists who aren't actually even from the place. Everyone else calls it Derry, even the loyalists in Derry.

I think it's actually a rule in BBC articles that the first mention has to be "Londonderry" and thereafter "Derry".

[ben_w]

Thanks; that's somewhat… ironic, I think is the correct word?

[computerthings]

And if Germany was "renamed" by another country, it would signify a shift of something. Just like the difference you mentioned are based on massively important historical events.