Many places in the United States have shifted from “Columbus Day” to “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” but the exact name now depends on where you live.

The short answer

  • At the U.S. federal level, Columbus Day is still the official holiday name , though recent presidents have also issued proclamations recognizing “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” on the same date.
  • Many states, cities, school districts, and organizations have replaced or paired Columbus Day with “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” to honor Native and Indigenous peoples rather than Christopher Columbus.

What did they change it to?

In most current discussions and local laws, the name change is:

  • “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” – now recognized in some form (either replacing or alongside Columbus Day) by numerous U.S. states, cities, and institutions.
  • Some places use slight variations like “Indigenous People’s Day” or “Native American Day,” but “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” is the most common in news, government resolutions, and forum debates.

So when people say “they changed Columbus Day,” they almost always mean it was renamed (or reframed) as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in that particular city, state, school, or workplace.

Why did it change?

A growing number of communities argue that:

  • Celebrating Columbus downplays the violence, colonization, and displacement suffered by Indigenous peoples after European arrival in the Americas.
  • Honoring Indigenous peoples instead is seen as a step toward recognition, respect, and historical accuracy , even if it’s only symbolic and not the “end goal” of deeper change.

Supporters often see the new name as a way to highlight Indigenous history and ongoing presence, while critics sometimes view the change as erasing Italian‑American heritage or politicizing a long‑standing holiday.

How it’s playing out online

On forums and social media:

  • You’ll frequently see people correct “Columbus Day” to “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” in discussions, especially in younger and more progressive spaces.
  • There are active debates where some defend keeping Columbus Day, others want it fully replaced, and some prefer keeping the day off but changing what (or whom) it honors.

In many current threads, if someone says “Columbus Day,” replies often read something like: “You mean Indigenous Peoples’ Day?”—reflecting how the newer name is becoming the default in a lot of online communities.

Quick recap

  • Official U.S. federal name: Columbus Day.
  • Most common “new” name in states, cities, schools, and online: Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

If you want the precise name where you live, you’d need to check your state or city’s most recent holiday calendar or legislation, since the label can differ from place to place.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.