Danish exonyms

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This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

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Bilingual town sign of Flensburg, Germany

Danish language exonyms for non-Danish speaking locations exist, primarily in Europe, but many of these are no longer commonly used, with a few notable exceptions. Rom (Rome), Lissabon (Lisboa (Lisbon)), Sankt Petersborg (St Petersburg) and Prag (Prague) are still compulsory, while e.g. Venedig is more common than Venezia (Venice). In the decades following World War II, there has been a strong tendency towards replacing Danish exonyms with the native equivalent used in the foreign country itself. Possibly this is because many of these Danish forms (e.g. for names in Belgium, Italy and Eastern Europe) were imported from German.

Until recently, it was official Danish policy to use Danish exonyms on road signs if Danish forms were commonly used and known. This has, however, been changed following a change in international agreements. Currently, one can still see Danish road signs pointing towards Flensborg and Hamborg across the border, however Nibøl has been replaced by Niebüll. Signs leading to the Sound Bridge usually have Malmø with Danish spelling.

In Southern Schleswig, the region south of the Danish-German border, a set of original (or, in some cases, reconstructed) Danish placenames exists alongside the German names, just as most North Slesvig placenames have German counterparts dating from the period under Prussian rule (1864–1920). The Danish placenames in Southern Schleswig are used by the local Danish minority and their media, while some in Denmark may avoid using them for political reasons. The use of German placenames in North Slesvig is similarly preferred by the local German minority (when speaking and writing German), but traditionally shunned by many Danes in the region. From 2008, municipalities in Schleswig-Holstein have been allowed bilingual town signs with the official minority languages: Danish, North Frisian and Low German. So far, the city of Flensburg has been the only municipality to introduce bilingual German/Danish signs.

Danish placenames dating from the colonial era exist for almost all major settlements in Greenland. Some of the places in question were founded as settlements under a Danish name, while others were originally Greenlandic toponyms. Very frequently, the Danish and Greenlandic names have different etymologies; while the former are often named after settlers or explorers, the latter usually describe geographical features. In 1983, a Danish law officially transferred the naming authority to the Greenlandic Home Rule. During the years before and after that, a complete set of Greenlandic placenames have ousted the former traditional Danish names. Danish names in Greenland are now mostly known or used by older-generation Danish-speakers or by Danes living in Greenland. Until recently, Greenland was still – both officially and de facto – bilingual, but Greenlandic has assumed the status of sole official language in Greenland, following the island's recent change from hjemmestyre (home rule) to selvstyre (autonomy).

Faroese placenames were Danicised in an era when no Faroese orthography existed, but the Danish names were replaced by Faroese ones during the first half of the 20th century (somewhat later on maps). Today only Thorshavn is commonly used (alongside the Faroese Tórshavn and the hybrid Torshavn).

An example of radical use of Danish exonyms can be found in many street names on the island of Amager, a part of Copenhagen. The city expanded greatly during the first half of the 20th century. Dozens of streets in the district were named after European cities or regions. It was deemed suitable for practical reasons that street names were adapted to Danish spelling rules, resulting in names such as Nyrnberggade and Lyneborggade.

## Albania

[edit]

Albania English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Tirana | Tirana  | Tiranë  | Albanian |

## Belgium

[edit]

Belgium English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Bruges | Brügge, Brygge[1] | Brugge  | Dutch |
Brussels | Bryssel | Bruxelles  | French |
Ostend | Ostende  | Oostende  | Dutch |

## Czechia

[edit]

Czechia English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Bohemia | Bøhmen  | Čechy  | Czech |
Moravia | Mæhren  | Morava  | Czech |
Prague | Prag  | Praha  | Czech |
Plzeň | Pilsen  | Plzeň  | Czech |
Silesia | Schlesien, Slesien | Slezsk  | Czech |
Ślōnsk  | Silesian |
Sudetenland | Sudeterlandet  | Sudety  | Czech |

## Denmark

[edit]

### Faroe Islands

[edit]

Modern Danish generally uses the original Faroese names. Torshavn / Thorshavn is still in active use. Fuglefjord, Klaksvig and Tværå are also occasionally seen. Also seen are variants where ð and á are replaced by d and å, and/ or accents omitted for á, í, ó, ú, ý. English generally has no established exonyms for any Faroese placenames.

Faroe Islands English/ Faroese name  | Danish name  | Notes

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Áirnar | Åerne  |
Akrar | Øgrum  |
Argir | Arge  |
Árnafjørður | Arnefjord  |
Borðoy | Bordø  |
Bøur | Bø  |
Dalur | Dal  |
Depil | Deble  |
Eiði | Ejde  |
Elduvík | Eldevig  |
Eysturoy | Østerø  |
Fámjin | Famien  |
Froðba | Frodebø  |
Fuglafjørður | Fuglefjord  |
Fugloy | Fuglø  |
Funningsfjørður | Fundingsfjørd  |
Funningur | Funding  |
Gásadalur | Gåsedal  |
Gjógv | Gjov  |
Glyvrar | Glibre  |
Gøtueiði | Gøteejde  |
Gøtugjógv | Gøtegjov  |
Haldarsvík | Haldersvig  |
Hattarvík | Hattervig  |
Hellur | Heller  |
Hósvík | Thorsvig  |
Hov | Hove  |
Hoyvík | Højvig  |
Húsar | Husum  |
Húsavík | Husevig  |
Hvalba | Hvalbø  |
Hvalvík | Kvalvig  |
Hvannasund | Kvannesund  |
Hvítanes | Hvidenæs  |
Kalsoy | Kalsø  |
Kirkja | Kirke  |
Kirkjubøur | Kirkebø  |
Klaksvík | Klaksvig  |
Kollafjørður | Kollefjord  |
Koltur | Kolter  |
Kunoy | Kunø  |
Kvívík | Kvivig, Qvivig |
Lambi | Lamhauge  |
Langasandur | Langesand  |
Leirvík | Lervig  |
Leynar | Lejnum  |
Lítla Dímun | Lille Dimon  |
Ljósá | Lyså  |
Miðvágur | Midvåg  |
Mikladalur | Mygledal  |
Morkranes | Moskernæs  |
Múli | Mule  |
Mykines | Myggenæs  |
Nes | Næs  |
Nólsoy | Nolsø  |
Norðadalur | Nordredal  |
Norðdepil | Norddeble  |
Norðoyri | Nordøre  |
Norðtoftir | Nordtofte  |
Norðragøta | Nodregøte  |
Norðskáli | Nordskåle  |
Øravík | Ørdevig  |
Oyndarfjørður | Andefjørd  |
Oyrarbakki | Ørebakke  |
Oyri | Øre  |
Porkeri | Porkere  |
Rituvík | Ridevig  |
Runavík | Rundevig  |
Saksun | Saksen  |
Saltangará | Salttangerå  |
Saltnes | Saltnæs  |
Sandavágur | Sandevåg  |
Sandoy | Sandø  |
Sandur | Sand  |
Selatrað | Selletræ  |
Signabøur | Signebø  |
Skálavík | Skålevig  |
Skálabotnur | Skålebotn  |
Skálafjørður | Skålefjord  |
Skáli | Skåle  |
Skælingur | Skælling  |
Skarð | Skår  |
Skarvanes | Skarvenæs  |
Skipanes | Skibenæs  |
Skopun | Skopen  |
Skúvoy | Skuø  |
Søldarfjørður | Solmunderfjørd  |
Sørvágur | Sørvåg  |
Strendur | Strænder  |
Streymnes | Strømnæs  |
Streymoy | Strømø  |
Stóra Dímun | Store Dimon  |
Stykkið | Stikket  |
Suðuroy | Syderø  |
Sumba | Sumbø, Sunnbø |
Svínoy | Svinø  |
Syðradalur | Sydredal  |
Syðrugøta | Sydregøte  |
Tjørnuvík | Tjørnevig  |
Toftir | Tofte  |
Tórshavn | Thorshavn  |
Trøllanes | Troldanæs  |
Trongisvágur | Trangisvåg  |
Tvøroyri | Tværå  |
Vagoy | Vågø  |
Vágur | Våg  |
Velbastaður | Velbestad  |
Vestmanna | Vestmannahavn  |
Viðareiði | Viderejde  |
Viðoy | Viderø  |
Víkarbyrgi | Vigerbirge  |

### Greenland

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English lacks exonyms for any Greenlandic placename.

Greenland English/ Greenlandic name  | Danish name  | Notes

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Aasiaat | Egedesminde  |
Alluitsup Paa | Sydprøven  |
Ammassivik | Sletten  |
Appat | Rittenbenck  | Abandoned settlement
Ilimanaq | Claushavn  |
Ilulissat | Jacobshavn  |
Itterajivit | Kap Hope  | Abandoned settlement
Ittoqqortoormiit | Scorebysund  |
Kangeq | Håbets Ø  | Abandoned settlement
Kangerlussuaq | Søndre Strømfjord  |
Kangerluarsoruseq | Færingehavn  | Abandoned settlement
Kangersuatsiaq | Prøven  |
Kangilinnguit | Grønnedal  |
Kitsissuarsuit | Hunde Ejlande  |
Kulusuk | Kap Dan  |
Maniitsoq | Sukkertoppen  |
Narsak | Nordprøven  |
Narsarmijit | Frederiksdal  |
Nuuk | Godthåb  |
Nuussuaq | Kraulshavn  |
Paamiut | Frederikshåb  |
Qaanaaq | Thule  |
Qaqortoq | Julianehåb  |
Qasigiannguit | Christianshåb  |
Qeqertaq | Øen  |
Qeqertarsuaq | Godhavn  |
Qeqertarsuatsiaat | Fiskenæsset  |
Qeqertarsuup tunua | Diskobugt  |
Saqqaq | Solsiden  |
Sisimiut | Holsteinsborg  |
Ullersuaq | Kap Alexander  |
Uummannarsuaq | Kap Farvel  |
Uunarteq | Kap Tobin  | Abandoned settlement

## Estonia

[edit]

Estonia English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Hiiumaa | Dagø  | Hiiumaa  | Estonian |
Saaremaa | Øsel  | Saaremaa  | Estonian |
Tallinn | Reval | Tallinn  | Estonian |
Tartu | Dorpat | Tartu  | Estonian |

## Finland

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See also: Names of places in Finland in Finnish and in Swedish

Finland is officially bilingual, and many places in the country have different names in Finnish and Swedish, both being official endonyms. In Danish, Swedish names (Helsingfors instead of Helsinki, Åbo instead of Turku) are used for more well-known places. For less well-known places (to Danes, at any rate) Finnish-language names are typically used. (Lappeenranta instead of Villmanstrand, Iisalmi instead of Idensalmi).[citation needed]

## France

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France English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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Name | Language
Alsace | Elsas | Alsace  | French | Obsolete
Brittany | Bretagne, Bretanje | Bretagne  | French |
Corsica | Korsika, Korsike | Corsica  | Corsu |
Normandy | Normandiet  | Normandie  | French |
Picardy | Pikardiet  | Picardie  | French |
Strasbourg | Strasborg | Strasbourg  | French | Obsolete

## Germany

[edit]

Danish has a very large number of exonyms for locations in modern Germany. Almost all of these are originally Danish names in the region of Southern Schleswig, a Danish territory until 1864 and still home to a Danish minority. Some of these exonyms are not commonly known in Denmark proper, but remain in use among the Danish minority in Germany and its newspaper, Flensborg Avis, and among the few remaining speakers of the South Jutlandic dialect south of the border. The names are also traditionally used by Danish historians, although some modern academics dismiss the usage of Danish exonyms outside present Denmark, at least in writing. Larger and well-known locations are more likely to be referred to by means of a Danish exonym, e.g. Flensborg and Slesvig [By], but also Hamborg which is not in the Schleswig region. The historical Dannevirke fortification and Hedeby are always referred to by its Danish name.

While almost all placenames in Schleswig north of the medieval language border (a line between Husum and Eckernförde, excluding the North Frisian area) are of genuine Danish (North Germanic) origin, there have also been limited attempts to construct Danish alternatives for placenames in the extreme southern part of Schleswig, which is originally German (Low Saxon) speaking (similar to the genuine Danish place names in North Slesvig, that have German constructed counterparts dating from the period under Prussian rule 1864–1920). The latter names, as well as Danicised placenames in the Frisian area, are less commonly used. Before 1864, when the Danish monarchy comprised the Duchy of Holstein, there was also sporadic usage of Danicised spellings of placenames in Holstein, such as Plø(e)n (Plön) and Vandsbæk (Wandsbek). The latter name is still seen in the Danish phrase "ad Vandsbæk til" (see: Wandsbek (quarter)#History).

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)

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Germany English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Anglia | Angel  | Angeln  |  |
Arnis | Arnæs  |  |  |
Ascheffel | Askfelt  |  |  |
Aschau  | Askov  |  |  |
Bargum  | Bjerrum  |  |  |
Bergenhusen | Bjerringhus  |  |  |
Brocken  | Bloksbjerg  |  |  |
Böklund | Bøglund  |  |  |
Bredstedt | Bredsted  |  |  |
Brunswick | Brunsvig  | Brunswiek
Braunschweig  | Low German
German  |
Büdelsdorf | Bydelstorp  |  |  |
Dagebüll | Dagebøl  |  |  |
Danish Wahld | Jernved, Dänischwohld, Danske Skov  | Dänischer Wohld  |  |
Dannewerk | Dannevirke  |  |  |
Dithmarschen | Ditmarsken  |  |  |
Drelsdorf | Trelstrup  |  |  |
Eckernförde | Egernfjord, Egernførde, Ekernførde  |  |  |
Eggebek | Eggebæk  |  |  |
Eider | Ejderen  |  |  |
Eiderstedt | Ejdersted  |  |  |
Elbe | Elben  |  |  |
Eschelsmark  | Eskilsmark  |  |  |
Fehmarn | Femern  |  |  |
Flensburg | Flensborg  |  |  |
Friedrichsberg  | Friedriksberg  |  |  |
Friedrichstadt | Frederiksstad  |  |  |
Fræzlæt  | Fræslet, Freslet, Fredslet |  |  |
Föhr | Før  |  |  |
Föhrden  | Førden  |  |  |
Gettorf | Gettorp  |  |  |
Gottorf  | Gottorp  |  |  |
Glücksburg | Lyksborg, Glücksborg |  |  |
Glückstadt | Lykstad |  |  | Rare
Grundhof | Grumtoft  |  |  |
Hamburg | Hamborg  |  |  |
Haithabu | Hedeby  |  |  |
Handewitt | Hanved  |  |  |
Harrislee | Harreslev  |  |  |
Harz  | Harzen  |  |  |
Herzogtum Sachsen-Lauenburg | Hertugdømmet Lauenborg  |  |  |
Hesterberg  | Hestebjerg  |  |  |
Hollehitt  | Holdhid  |  |  |
Holstein | Holsten  |  |  |
Holtenau  | Holtenå  |  |  |
Hüllerup  | Hylderup  |  |  |
Hüttener Berge | Hytten Bjerge  |  |  |
Idstedt | Isted  |  |  |
Jarplund-Weding | Jaruplund-Vedding  |  |  |
Jellenbek in Schwedeneck  | Jellenbæk  |  |  |
Jerrishoe | Jerrishøj  |  |  |
Joldelund | Hjoldelund  |  |  |
Jübeck | Jy(d)bæk  |  |  |
Jürgensby  | Jørgensby  |  |  |
Kappeln | Kappel  |  |  |
Karlsburg in Schwansen  | Gereby  |  |  |
Klanxbüll | Klangsbøl  |  |  |
Klixbüll | Klægsbøl  |  |  |
Krusendorf in Schwedeneck  | Krusentorp  |  |  |
Kupfermühle | Kobbermølle  |  |  |
Langballig | Langballe  |  |  |
Lauenburg | Lauenborg  |  |  |
Leck  | Læk  |  |  |
Lindewitt | Lindved  |  |  |
Lindau  | Lindå  |  |  |
Lohe  | Lo  |  |  |
Lollfuß in Schleswig  | Lolfod  |  |  |
Löwenstedt | Lyngsted, Løvensted  |  |  |
Lübeck | Lybæk |  |  |
Ludwigsburg in Schwansen  | Ludvigsborg, Kohøved  |  |  |
Lüneburg | Lyneborg  |  |  |
Lüngerau  | Lyngvrå  |  |  |
Lürschauer Heide  | Lyrskov Hede  |  |  |
Lutzhöft  | Lyshøj  |  |  |
Maasbüll | Masbøl  |  |  |
Maasleben  | Maslev, Måslev  |  |  |
Mecklenburg | Meklenborg |  |  |
Missunde | Mysunde  |  |  |
Mohrkirch | Mårkær  |  |  |
Mürwik | Mørvig  |  |  |
Niebüll | Nybøl ved Slesvig by  |  |  |
Oeversee | Oversø  |  |  |
Oldenburg | Oldenborg  |  |  |
Ostenfeld | Østerfjolde, Øster Fjolde  |  |  |
Owschlag | Okslev  |  |  |
Pellworm | Pelvorm  |  |  |
Querfurt | Kvernford  |  |  | Obsolete
Quern  | Kvæarn  |  |  |
Rendsburg | Rendsborg, Rensborg, Rejnoldsborg |  |  |
Rieseby | Risby  |  |  |
Roikier  | Rojkær  |  |  |
Rundhof  | Rundtoft  |  |  |
Rüllschau  | Rylskov  |  |  |
Schafflund | Skovlund  |  |  |
Scheggerott | Skæggerød  |  |  |
Schlei | Slien  |  |  |
Schleimünde  | Slieminde  |  |  |
Schleswig | Slesvig (By)  |  |  |
Schrepperie  | Skræpperi  |  |  |
Schuby | Skovby  |  |  |
Schwansen  | Svans(ø), Svansen  |  |  |
Schwesing | Svesing  |  |  |
Sorgbrück  | Sorgbro  |  |  |
Steinbergkirche | Stenbjergkirke  |  |  |
Streichmühle  | Strygmølle  |  |  |
Struxdorf | Strukstrup  |  |  |
Sylt | Sild  |  |  |
Taarstedt | Torsted  |  |  |
Treene | Trene(n)  |  |  |
Treia | Treja  |  |  |
Twedt | Tved  |  |  |
Uelsby | Ølsby  |  |  |
Ulsnis | Ulsnæs  |  |  |
Unewatt  | Undevad  |  |  |
Unaften  | Ondaften  |  |  |
Vollerwiek | Follervig  |  |  |
Wallsbüll | Valsbøl  |  |  |
Wassersleben  | Sosti  |  |  | German name also used in Danish
Wees  | Ves  |  |  |
Westerholz | Vesterskov  |  |  |
Westermühlen  | Vestermølle  |  |  |
Winderatt  | Venerød  |  |  |
Wyk auf Föhr | Vyk på Før  |  |  |

## Greece

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Greece English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Athens | Athen  | Athína  | Greek |
Corfu | Korfu  | Kérkyra  | Greek |
Corinth | Korinth  | Kórinth  | Greek |
Crete | Kreta  | Kriti  | Greek |
Piraeus | Piræus  | Piraifs  | Greek |
Rhodes | Rhodos  | Rodhos  | Greek |

## Iceland

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Iceland English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Hafnarfjörður | Havnefjord  |  |  |
Ísafjörður | Isafjord  |  |  | Used in various Danish street names, such as Isafjordsgade in Copenhagen and Isafjordvej in Roskilde

## India

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India English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Nicobar Islands | Frederiksøerne  |  |  | Danish colonial name
Serampore | Frederiksnagore  |  |  | Danish colonial name
Tharangambadi | Trankebar, Tranquebar |  |  | Danish colonial name

## Italy

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Italy English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Florence | Florens | Firenze  | Italian |
Genoa | Genova, Genua | Genova  | Italian |
Mantua | Mantova, Mantua  | Mantova  | Italian |
Milan | Mailand | Milano  | Italian |
Naples | Neapel | Napoli  | Italian | Mainly in expression Se Neapel og dø ("see Naples and die")
Rome | Rom  | Roma  | Italian |
Sardinia | Sardinien  | Sardegna  | Italian |
Sicily | Sicilien  | Sicilia  | Italian |
Syracuse | Syrakus  | Siracusa  | Italian |
Torino | Torino, Turin | Torino  | Italian |
Turin  | Piedmontese |
Venice | Venedig  | Venezia  | Italian |
Venexia  | Venetian |

## Lithuania

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Lithuania English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Klaipėda | Memel  | Klaipėda  | Lithuanian |
Vilnius | Vilna, Vilnius  | Vilnius  | Lithuanian |

## Luxembourg

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Luxembourg English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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Name | Language
Luxembourg City | Luxembourg, Luxemburg, Luxemborg, Lyksemborg | Lëtzebuerg  | Luxembourgish | All forms pronounced like Luxemborg

## Netherlands

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Netherlands English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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Name | Language
Alkmaar | Alkmar | Alkmaar  | Dutch | Obsolete
Edam | Eidam, Ejdam | Edam  | Dutch | Latter only common in name of Edam cheese, Ejdammer
Enkhuizen | Enkhysen | Enkhuizen  | Dutch | Obsolete
Groningen | Grøningen | Groningen  | Dutch | Obsolete
Monnickendam | Mønnikedam | Monnickendam  | Dutch | Obsolete
Muiden | Myden | Muiden  | Dutch | Obsolete
Naarden | Narden | Naarden  | Dutch | Obsolete
The Hague | Haag  | Den Haag  | Dutch | Pronounced /hæˀɣ/
Utrecht | Ytregt | Utrecht  | Dutch | Obsolete
Voorburg | Forborg | Voorburg  | Dutch | Obsolete

## Norway

[edit]

From the 16th until the late 19th century, Danish was officially used, replacing the Norwegian written language, but then spelling reforms gradually replaced it with Dano-Norwegian and the two present-day forms of Norwegian: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Until then, a lot of Norwegian placenames were written in Danish. Almost all of them are now obsolete and not even used in Danish historical contexts. They may, however, still be used in the names of Norwegian newspapers, companies, institutions and associations. In present-day Norway, they will often be perceived more as "ancient" names than as Danish ones.

Norway English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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Name | Language
Bear Island | Bjørneøen  | Bjørnøya  | Norwegian | "Øya" means "island". Several more islands in Norway ending in øya might be translated to øen in Danish, although less common now.
Oslo | Christiania  | Oslo  | Norwegian | archaic; official name of Oslo until 1925 (although spelled Kristiania from 1877 onwards). Today mostly associated with the Copenhagen free town by the same name.
Finnmark | Finmark(en)  | Finnmark  | Norwegian | archaic
Larvik | Laurvig(en)  | Larvik  | Norwegian | archaic
Trondheim | Trondhjem  | Trondheim  | Norwegian | occasionally seen in Danish, and very often used in spoken language even in Norway

## Poland

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Poland English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Gdańsk | Danzig | Gdańsk  | Polish |
Łódź | Lodz  | Łódź  | Polish | Endonym also used
Pomerania | Pommern  | Pomorze  | Polish |
Świnoujście | Swinoujscie, Swinemünde, Svinemynde | Świnoujście  | Polish | Endonym also used
Szczecin | Stettin  | Szczecin  | Polish |
Wrocław | Wroclaw, Breslau  | Wrocław  | Polish | Endonym also used

## Portugal

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Portugal English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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Name  | Language
Lisbon | Lissabon  | Lisboa  | Portuguese |

## Romania

[edit]

Romania English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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Name | Language
Bucharest | Bukarest  | București  | Romanian |
Transylvania | Transsilvanien, Transsylvanien  | Transilvania  | Romanian |

## Russia

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Russia English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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Name | Language
Ingria | Ingermanland  |  |  |
Kaliningrad | Königsberg | Kaliningrad  | Russian |
Karelia | Karelen  |  |  |
Rybachiy Peninsula | Fiskerhalvøen  | Polyostrov Rybachiy  | Russian |
Saint Petersburg | Sankt Petersborg  | Sankt-Peterburg  | Russian |

## South Africa

[edit]

South Africa English name | Danish name | Endonym | Notes

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|
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Name | Language
Cape Town | Kapstaden  | Kaapstad  | Afrikaans |
Cape Town  | English | English name also used in Danish
iKapa  | Xhosa |
Johannesburg | Johannesborg  | Johannesburg  | English |

## Spain

[edit]

Spain English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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|
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Name  | Language
Costa del Sol | Solkysten  | Costa del Sol  | Spanish |

## Sweden

[edit]

Sweden English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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|
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Name  | Language
Älvsborg | Elfsborg  | Älvsborg  | Swedish | Also pre-1906 Swedish spelling
Ängelholm | Engelholm  | Ängelholm  | Swedish |
Barsebäck | Barsebæk  | Barsebäck  | Swedish |
Båstad | Baadsted | Båstad  | Swedish | Archaic
Blekinge | Bleging | Blekinge  | Swedish | Archaic
Brömsebäck | Brømsebæk  | Brömsebäck  | Swedish |
Falkenberg | Falkenbjerg | Falkenberg  | Swedish | Archaic
Gotland | Gulland | Gotland  | Swedish | Archaic
Göinge | Gønge (Herred)  | Göinge  | Swedish |
Gothenburg | Gøteborg  | Göteborg  | Swedish |
Halmstad | Halmsted | Halmstad  | Swedish | Archaic
Hässleholm | Hesselholm | Hässleholm  | Swedish | Archaic. In Swedish until 1906 Hessleholm.
Höganäs | Høj(e)næs | Höganäs  | Swedish | Archaic
Knäred | Knærød | Knäred  | Swedish | Archaic
Kristianstad | Christiansstad  | Kristianstad  | Swedish | Earlier spelling Christianstad is sometimes used in the town itself, and was official until the Swedish spelling reform of 1906
Kristianopel | Christianopel  | Kristianopel  | Swedish |
Kungsbacka | Kongsbak(ke)  | Kungsbacka  | Swedish | Archaic
Landskrona | Landskrone  | Landskrona  | Swedish | Archaic
Limhamn | Limhavn  | Limhamn  | Swedish |
Malmö | Malmø  | Malmö  | Swedish |
Östergötland | Øster Gylland | Östergötland  | Swedish | Archaic
Simrishamn | Simmershavn | Simrishamn  | Swedish | Archaic
Stockholm | Stokholm | Stockholm  | Swedish | Archaic, never gained widespread use
Varberg | Varbjerg | Varberg  | Swedish | Archaic
Vä | Væ  | Vä  | Swedish |
Västergötland | Vester Gylland | Västergötland  | Swedish | Archaic
Ven | Hven  | Ven  | Swedish | Danish form also preferred by islanders, outlived Swedish spelling reform of 1906 and was official until 1958
Ystad | Ysted | Ystad  | Swedish | Archaic

Some of these forms are archaic, based on names used in the 17th century prior to the surrender of the Eastern Danish lands Skåne, Halland and Blekinge to Sweden. Modern usage is primarily confined to history books[citation needed] and Scanian activists. These forms were also used in a number of texts in the first decades of the 20th century. The only example consistently used in modern Danish is Hven[citation needed], maybe because this form hinders confusion with the Danish word ven ("friend")[citation needed]. Since the opening of the Øresund Bridge, the form Malmø has again gained widespread use above Malmö.[2] Engelholm and Øland (Öland) are occasionally seen. Knærød and Elfsborg are relatively common in historical works, due to their connection to historical events; the 1613 Peace of Knäred (Freden i Knærød) and the Ransom of Älvsborg (Elfsborgs løsen). The forms Gønge and Gønge Herred are also quite common given their connection to Svend Poulsen Gønge, known from the historical novel and TV series, Gøngehøvdingen.

Some forms are just replacement of ä/ö with æ/ø based on computer keyboards used by the press. This can be used for further places, any with ä and ö, .e.g. Växjö or Östersund,[3] but are often considered misspellings. This is in contrast to Swedish exonyms for places in Denmark where æ and ø are usually converted by the press.

## United States

[edit]

United States English name  | Danish name  | Endonym  | Notes

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|
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Name  | Language
California | Californien, Kalifornien | California  | English |
New York | Ny Jork  | New York  | English | Obsolete
Pennsylvania | Pennsylvanien | Pennsylvania  | English |
Saint Croix | Sankt Croix  | Saint Croix  | English | Pronounced /saŋd krɔjˀs/ in Danish
Saint John | Sankt Jan  | Saint John  | English |
Saint Thomas | Sankt Thomas  | Saint Thomas  | English |

The U.S. Virgin Islands were formerly a colony of Denmark, often referred to simply as Sankt Thomas, Sankt Jan og Sankt Croix.

## See also

[edit]

* List of European exonyms

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Brugge (Eller Brygge)". 8 December 2016.
2. ^ Example: Google Streetview. Do a Google search on News, where Malmø site:.dk have many more hits than Malmö site:.dk
3. ^ Examples: Perfekt norsk VM-start: Vinder guld i skiskydningsstafet and Tysk triumf på den individuelle distance ved VM i skiskydning

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