The formal renaming of Constantinople to Istanbul wasn't a single event, but rather a gradual process where the Turkish government advocated for and solidified the use of "Istanbul" in international contexts.
Here's a breakdown:
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Post-Ottoman Empire Transition: Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the Turkish language saw a move towards adopting "İstanbul" as the standard name. Names other than İstanbul (استانبول) became obsolete in Turkish.
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Advocacy for International Recognition: In 1929, the Turkish government actively encouraged the use of "Istanbul" in English instead of the historically used "Constantinople."
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Gradual Adoption: This advocacy proved successful. The U.S. State Department, for example, began using "Istanbul" officially in May 1930.
In essence, the "renaming" was less a formal decree and more a concerted effort by the Turkish government to standardize and promote the use of the name already widely used by the Turkish population. This effort extended to encouraging international entities to adopt "Istanbul" in their official communications.
