City names facts

City of Lions. The English name of Singapore is derived from the Malay word Singapura (lit. Lion City), hence the customary reference to the nation as the Lion City. Lions probably never lived there; the beast seen by Sang Nila Utama, who founded and named ancient Singapore, was most likely a tiger.

Saigon. Immediately after the communist takeover of South Vietnam in 1975, a provisional government renamed the city after Ho Chi Minh. Even today, however, the informal name of Sai Gon remains in daily speech both domestically and internationally.

Dublin. The Dubhlinn ("black pool") was a small lake used to moor ships and was connected to the River Liffey. This lake was covered during the early 18th century as the city grew.

Hyderabad. Bombay was renamed to Mumbai in 1995; Madras was renamed to Chennai in 1996; Calcutta changed name to Kolkata in 2001. Bhopal, Bangalore and Mysore are speculated to be renamed in the future.