#20: Petrograd → Leningrad (Russia)
Before it became Saint Petersburg again, the city had already changed once. In 1914, during World War I, “Saint Petersburg” sounded too German, so it became “Petrograd.” After Lenin’s death a decade later, it transformed again into “Leningrad.” The new name was both tribute and propaganda, tying the city to Soviet identity.
Each renaming reflected a power shift. Even buildings seemed to wear different expressions with each era.