Bangalore to Bengaluru
The city has long been Bengaluru in Kannada; Bangalore was the English form. On 1 November 2014, Karnataka’s formation day, the state made the Kannada names official in English too, for Bangalore and eleven other cities, from Mysuru to Mangaluru.
Written from cited sourcesLast checked 13 October 2026Suggest a correction
- Bengalooruin a 9th-century inscription
- Bangalorethe English form, until 2014
- Bengaluruofficial from 1 November 2014
An old Kannada name
The earliest known use of the name, as Bengalooru, is on a 9th-century Ganga hero-stone at Begur that records a battle fought there. Bangalore is an English form of it.[1]
A popular story links the name to the 12th-century Hoysala king Vira Ballala, who got lost while hunting and was given boiled beans, benda kaalu, by an old woman, so that he called the place “town of boiled beans”. The Begur stone shows the name is older than the Hoysalas. Another explanation derives it from benga, the Kannada name of a local tree, and ooru, town.[1]
The modern city was founded in 1537 by Kempe Gowda, a chief of the Yelahanka line. After independence it became the capital of Mysore State, now Karnataka.[1]
Twelve cities in one notification
U R Ananthamurthy proposed renaming Bangalore in 2005.[2] The process began in 2006, when the state’s coalition government proposed it for Karnataka’s 50th anniversary, and the legislature endorsed it later.[3]
After the central government approved, Karnataka issued the notification on the evening of Friday 31 October 2014, and the new names took effect the next day, 1 November, the state’s formation day.[2][3] Belgaum became Belagavi, Mangalore Mangaluru, Mysore Mysuru, Bellary Ballari, Hubli Hubballi, Tumkur Tumakuru, Bijapur Vijayapura, Chikmagalur Chikkamagaluru, Gulbarga Kalaburagi, Hospet Hosapete and Shimoga Shivamogga.[2][3]
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called it a proud moment for the people of Karnataka to use the Kannada names officially. Private companies were not required to change registered names that included the old forms.[3]
Timeline
800s
Begur hero-stone
The earliest known record of the name, as Bengalooru.[1]
1537
Kempe Gowda
The modern city is founded.[1]
2005
The proposal
U R Ananthamurthy proposes using Bengaluru.[2]
2006
Process begins
The state government takes up the renaming.[3]
20141 November 2014
Bengaluru
Bangalore and eleven other cities take their Kannada names officially.[2]
More name changes
Sources
- [1]Bangalore: History and culture · Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Indian Institute of Science
- [2]Bangalore is officially Bengaluru from today · The News Minute · 1 November 2014
- [3]Bangalore renamed Bengaluru (IANS) · Business Standard · 1 November 2014
Map geometry from Natural Earth via world-atlas. See credits.