Names of the Philippines

The names of the Philippines have changed over time, reflecting different cultures and periods in history. Originally, the name "Philippines" was meant to refer only to the islands of Leyte, Samar, and nearby areas. This name was given in 1543 by the Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos or one of his captains, Bernardo de la Torre, to honor the crown prince Philip, who later became Philip II. When the Spanish first arrived, they reached Mindanao first and named it after the reigning emperor Charles V, who was also Spain's king Carlos I.

Over time, during Spanish colonization, the name "Philippines" grew to include the whole archipelago. Even after Spain, the name stayed mostly the same, though it was called different things at various times. During the Philippine Revolution, it was known as the Philippine Republic. Later, under US military and civilian occupations, it was called the Philippine Islands. Finally, during the Third Philippine Republic, the official name was simplified to just "the Philippines."

Present name

Further information: Villalobos Expedition

The name "Philippines" was given in 1543 by a Spanish explorer named Ruy López de Villalobos or one of his captains, Bernardo de la Torre. They named the island of Mindanao after the king of their time, Charles V, and then named some nearby islands "Felipina" and "Islas Felipinas" after his son, the crown prince Philip, who later became King Philip II of Spain. At first, this name only referred to the islands of Leyte, Samar, and nearby areas, but it eventually came to include the whole group of islands.

The Philippines has been called "Filipinas" throughout its history. In Filipino, the country is often called "Republika ng Pilipinas." The name "Pilipinas" became common when a new alphabet was introduced that did not use the letter "F." Some people suggested using "Filipinas" instead to honor the country's history, but the current recommendation is to use "Pilipinas" in the Filipino language. In English-speaking places, the country is usually just called the "Philippines."

Historical names

The Philippines has had many names throughout history. One old name was Panyupayana, used by traders from India. They learned about the islands from ancient stories and books.

Another name used long ago was Ma-i. This name came from Chinese records and referred to several islands, including parts of what we now call the Philippines. The Chinese described groups of islands such as Sam-chiu, which included places like Calamian, Palawan, and Busuanga.

The island we now call Luzon was once named Liusung by the Chinese. This name came from a local word for a tool used to pound rice. Later, Spanish maps called it Luçonia, which changed over time to Luzon.

When Spanish explorers arrived, they gave new names to many lands. They called the islands Las islas de San Lázaro in honor of a saint. Later, they used the name Las islas de Poniente, meaning “Islands to the West,” because they reached them while sailing from Spain.

The Philippines is also known as the Pearl of the Orient Seas, a beautiful nickname that came from an old Spanish poem. This name reminds us of the country’s natural beauty.

Uncertain names

Some older names for parts of the Philippines are still not fully understood. One such name is Maniolas, which an ancient writer might have used for islands near China, perhaps referring to areas around Manila. Another uncertain name is Baroussai, which some think could have referred to the Visayas or Mindanao, but others believe it may have been a place in Sumatra.

The Bible mentions a faraway place called Ophir, known for its wealth. Some old writers thought this could have been the Philippines because of the valuable woods found here, but modern historians think this is unlikely.

Stories also tell of a place called Tawalisi, which an explorer visited on his way to China. Some tales include a brave princess named Urduja from Pangasinan, but many historians think these stories are more like myths than real history.

Proposals for renaming

During the Third Philippine Republic, the shorter name Philippines started to be used officially.

For a long time, the country was called "the Philippine Islands" during American rule and "Filipinas" during Spanish rule. The main reason for changing the country's name has always been to move away from colonialism. A new government-supported name has not yet been chosen, but some ideas include a name from the Malay language that reflects the country's island nature or one that connects to the Philippines' history of great sailing and boat-building skills.

Proposed names

• Haring Bayang Katagalugan (Sovereign Tagalog Nation). This name was suggested by Andrés Bonifacio for the Filipino nation. It was meant for a government called the Republika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic), but not everyone liked it because it seemed to favor one group. Some say "Katagalugan" means "people of the river" and was meant to include all groups.

• Kapatiran ("Brotherhood"), or its similar name Katipunan ("Assembly"/"Gathering").

• Luzviminda. This combines the first parts of the names of the three big island groups: Luzon; Visayas; and Mindanao.

• Mahárlika. This word comes from old Tagalog and means "freeman." It described people who were not rulers but were free, like warriors and artists. In 1978, President Ferdinand Marcos supported a plan to rename the country Mahárlika, but the idea was dropped because many thought it was not a good fit. The idea came up again in 2019 but was stopped soon after.

• Malaysia. Some leaders suggested changing the country's name to Malaysia in 1962, but this did not happen.

• Rizalia. This name honors José Rizal, a Filipino hero, similar to how Bolivia is named after Simón Bolivar.

• República Rizalina ("Rizaline Republic"). A former general, Artemio Ricarte, suggested this name while in Japan. Some people like this idea, but others say José Rizal did not want the Philippines to break away from Spain at that time.