The Welsh island of Anglesey, where Prince William and Princess Kate once lived, could be renamed Ynys Môn – if campaigners get their way.
NorthWalesLive reported the online debate was triggered by Channel 5 presenter Jeremy Vine, who asked social media users if all English place names should be ditched in Wales.
Vine’s question was prompted by a recent petition launched on September 20 which aimed to change the name of the island Anglesey in North Wales back to its old Welsh name, Ynys Môn.
The petition attracted 400 signatures in the first 24 hours and has since been backed by just over 2,000 people, with around a quarter of the signatures being from Anglesey, a similar number from the rest of North Wales, and 132 from England.
William and Kate lived in Bodorgan Hall, on Anglesey, from 2010 to 2013, while he worked as a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Airforce (RAF).
Anglesey has a busy port with ferries to Ireland, and it is also home to Thomas Telford’s famous Menai Suspension bridge.
Discussions online over the proposed change have bled into broader arguments over England’s imperial history and the anglicising of traditional Welsh place names.
Many opposed to the petition have argued that changing place names in Wales back to their traditional Welsh ones will result in people “getting lost”, due to “unpronounceable” Welsh names.
Others have argued that changing the names will result in damage to the country’s tourism sector.
Some have argued the debate is an issue of imperial superiority, with English people still calling a place by its English name “whether other nations like it or not”.
Other defenders of the petition have pointed out English place names can be equally difficult to read and have accused English speakers of being too “lazy”, to learn how to pronounce the Welsh place names.
This is not the first time debates over place names have arisen in Wales this year.
In another story reported by NorthWalesLive in May, Welsh Republicans spray painted over the English language place names on road signs for Menai Bridge (Porthaethwy) and Welshpool (Trallwng) on roads in Gwynedd and on Ynys Môn (Anglesey).
Many contributors to the debate expressed concerns over “anti-English” sentiment in Wales.
One man from Blackpool claimed to have experienced this anti-English animosity first hand while visiting a pub in Anglesey with his wife.
He said: “All at the bar were talking English until my wife and I ordered and they all started talking in Welsh.
“Very ignorant people, no wonder they want to change the name.”
There were, however, equal attempts from those involved in the debate to dispel this misconception, with some applauding Welsh attempts to retain their heritage and culture.
An Englishman said: “I’ve lived in Wales for 20 years and have never had any trouble with Cymraeg place names.
“Would you ask the French to anglicise the place names for our convenience?”
A woman added: “I’m English and I think Wales should be able to decide what the island is called.
“We love Wales and have never had a bad time and everyone we have met, from Porthcawl to Rhyl, has been lovely.
“They are such proud people, it actually brings tears to your eyes.”
