Turkey changes name to Turkiye, to evade American Thanksgiving dinners

Sopuruchi Onwuka

If you have business or transactions with the Turkish or travel plans to the Turkey, it is important to note that the name of the country in the documentation might slightly alter from Turkey to Turkiye, following official change of name with the United Nations.

“Türkiye” is pronounced like “turkey-yeah” as it is spelled and pronounced in Turkish as the country called itself at declaration of independence in 1923.

The government of Turkey explained that it declared a name change with the global body in order to differentiate from the avian turkey, the large bird native to North America which is famous for being served on Christmas menus or Thanksgiving dinners.

The country declared that it would revert to its traditional and historical relevance of its identity to avoid the coincidence of sharing the same name which the English had mindlessly nominated for the nation.

Government’s news agency reported that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had sent a letter to the United Nations formally requesting that his country be referred to as “Türkiye,” in a move seen as part of a push by Ankara to rebrand the country and dissociate its name from the bird, turkey, and some negative connotations that are associated with it.

Turkish Anadolu Agency said the spokesman to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, has confirmed the name change had become effective “from the moment” the letter was received.

Turkey’s English-language state broadcaster TRT World has switched to using “Türkiye” arguing that Turks prefer their country to be called “Türkiye”, in “keeping with the country’s aims of determining how others should identify it.”

TRT World explained the decision in an article earlier this year, saying Googling “Turkey” brings up a “a muddled set of images, articles, and dictionary definitions that conflate the country with Meleagris – otherwise known as the turkey, a large bird native to North America – which is famous for being served on Christmas menus or Thanksgiving dinners.”

The network continued: “Flip through the Cambridge Dictionary and “turkey” is defined as “something that fails badly” or “a stupid or silly person.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been pressing for the internationally recognized name Turkey to be changed to “Türkiye” saying it better represents Turkish culture and values.

President Erdogan had also demanded that “Made in Türkiye” be used instead of “Made in Turkey” on exported products.

He also directed that Turkish ministries began using “Türkiye” in official documents.

Earlier in the year, the government also released a promotional video as part of its attempts to change its name in English. The video shows tourists from across the world saying “Hello Türkiye” at famous destinations.

The Turkish presidency’s Directorate of Communications said it launched the campaign “to promote more effectively the use of ‘Türkiye’ as the country’s national and international name on international platforms.”