US President Donald Trump is expected to announce that the United States will begin referring to the Persian Gulf as the "Arabian Gulf" or the "Gulf of Arabia," a move widely seen as a diplomatic affront to Iran.
According to two administration officials, Trump will visit the region next week, with scheduled stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. The renaming is intended as a goodwill gesture toward America’s Arab allies.
The body of water, situated between eastern Saudi Arabia and Iran’s southwestern coast, has been historically known as the Persian Gulf since the 16th century. However, many Arab nations have long favored alternative names that reflect their regional identity.
This isn’t the first time a name has sparked political tension—or been changed due to it. From wars to protests, many events have lead to the change of names of foods, territories, and even royal families. For example, did you know that during World War I hamburgers became known as "liberty sandwiches" in America? Or that London's National Portrait Gallery changed the name of a series of paintings in protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine?
These are just a couple of examples. Click through the following gallery to learn about more things renamed because of wars and other political reasons.