The switch honours a name lost to colonial rule more than a century ago.

The Pacific island nation of Nauru has officially reclaimed its traditional name, becoming the Republic of Naoero.

Nauru’s parliament passed a constitutional amendment in May to change the name, and President David Adeang confirmed in a social media post late on Wednesday that plans for a national referendum on the change had been dropped. He said the shift reflected an identity the people already held rather than a new one seeking approval.

“The decision not to pursue a referendum was reached after thoughtful deliberation that Naoero is not a new name seeking acceptance by the people,” Adeang said. “It is already the identity of the people, is on the national coat of arms, and spoken in the community; and importantly is allowed by the constitution.”

The country’s short-form name will now be “Naoero”, while its citizens will be referred to as “dei-Naoero”. The government has notified international organisations and other countries of the change, and the transition process is already under way.

The name Nauru dates back to European colonisation, when the island’s native name, Naoero, was altered because colonisers found it difficult to pronounce. Nauru is the world’s third-smallest nation, after Vatican City and Monaco, with a population of roughly 12,000.

Adeang said the renaming was not a political move, but one centred on heritage, describing it as an effort to preserve “the legacy of our ancestors” while strengthening “the future of our children”.

The Nauruan language, known locally as dorerin Naoero, is classified by UNESCO as “severely endangered”. While it is still spoken among the community, it is not taught in schools, although the government passed a bill last year that will incorporate it into the curriculum in the future.