Aydın Tiryaki (2025)

Introduction: The Language of the City Beyond Coordinates

The names of streets, avenues, and public buildings are far more than navigational tools or logistical labels. In the field of toponomy—the study of place names—these markers constitute a living archive of a society’s collective memory. They signal who a nation chooses as its heroes and which values it intends to bequeath to the future. However, this archive is increasingly threatened by shifting political climates, bureaucratic myopia, and attempts at “symbolic occupation.”

1. Public Space Under the Shadow of Active Politics

In modern democracies, the neutrality of state institutions is a fundamental pillar. Assigning the name of a living, active political figure to a landmark—be it an airport, stadium, or hospital—transforms that public asset into a symbolic stronghold for a specific ideology.

This practice creates a form of “linguistic imposition” for citizens who do not share that particular worldview. Forcing an individual to frequently utter a name they do not endorse during their daily commute or administrative tasks is a psychological burden that undermines social peace. Highly civilized societies often implement a “historical cooling-off period,” ensuring that names are only immortalized through broad consensus years after a figure’s passing, once the immediate political dust has settled.

2. Generic Naming and “Strategic Reservation”

A subtle trend in recent large-scale public projects is the use of generic titles, such as “City Hospital” or purely geographical airport names. While appearing neutral or humble, this can be interpreted as a “strategic placeholder” tactic. By leaving a monumental project’s name anonymous or generic, the naming rights are effectively “reserved” for a future political branding maneuver—often intended to be claimed during a leadership transition or as a legacy project by successors. This effectively freezes the naming right of the public space, withholding it from the community to serve future political interests.

3. Symbolic Occupation: The Eradication of Memory

Changing the names or numbers of long-standing streets without a profound ethical justification (such as post-occupation restoration) is one of the greatest disservices to an urban center. Sociologically, this creates a “memory fracture” akin to a military occupation.

A street’s name remaining unchanged for 300 years is a hallmark of civilization; frequent alterations, conversely, reflect cultural fragility and a lack of rooted democratic traditions. When a street number is changed for bureaucratic convenience, residents suffer from “spatial alienation.” Even if the physical building remains, the resident feels like a stranger in their own neighborhood, as their personal history is effectively erased from the official map.

4. Donor Legacy vs. Institutional Identity Theft

While naming schools after private donors is a noble tradition that encourages civic contribution, there is a critical ethical boundary. Replacing the 50-year-old name of a historic school simply because of a renovation or an additional wing is a form of “institutional identity theft.” An institution is not just bricks and mortar; it is the shared heritage of its alumni. Allowing a financial contribution to overwrite decades of educational history represents an unjust triumph of capital over cultural depth. A more refined solution lies in preserving the historic name of the institution while dedicating the new wing or laboratory to the donor.

5. Toward a Merit-Based Naming Framework

To prevent polarization and foster urban peace, naming policies should shift toward non-political realms such as art, science, and sports. However, a strict criterion must apply: these figures should not be integrated into current political machineries. The name of a poet, a world-class scientist, or an Olympic champion represents universal achievement and human effort rather than a partisan stance. Such names are far more likely to be embraced by all segments of society, ensuring their longevity across generations.

Conclusion: The Need for an “Urban Constitution”

The civilizational level of a nation can be measured by the stability of its street names. Cities are not blank chalkboards for ruling powers to etch their names; they are trusts where generations store their memories. To move beyond the current state of “urban amnesia,” naming processes must be removed from the monopoly of bureaucratic whim and political ambition. They must be governed by a “Naming Constitution” rooted in local consent, historical continuity, and ethical standards. Otherwise, every new name will merely be written on the grave of the previous one, leaving citizens as permanent strangers in a city of ghost names.

Aydın Tiryaki
Ankara, December 27, 2025

A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study belong entirely to the author; AI has only served as an assistant in the expression and writing process. (The English version of this text was prepared with AI acting as a writing and translation assistant.)