Turkey changed its official UN name to Türkiye in June 2022 ; the UN said the change became effective when it received Turkey’s request on June 1, 2022.

Quick Scoop

  • The formal push started in 2021.
  • The UN adopted the new name in 2022.
  • Turkish officials said the change was meant to reflect the country’s preferred native name and cultural identity.

Why it changed

The main reason was branding and identity: “Türkiye” is the name used in Turkish, while “Turkey” is the older English exonym.

Officials also wanted to avoid the English word’s association with the bird and negative dictionary meanings.

In practice

  • International organizations : Many, including the UN, began using Türkiye after the 2022 request.
  • English usage : “Turkey” still appears in some media and everyday speech, but “Türkiye” is now the official form in many diplomatic settings.

TL;DR: Turkey changed to Türkiye officially in 2022 , after a request to the UN, though the idea had been building since 2021.