Constantinople, a name rooted in Greek and Roman history, was seen as representing the city’s imperial past before the rise of the Turkish nation-state. Istanbul, a name already used colloquially among Turks for centuries, became the official name. The government then encouraged and pressured foreign countries and mapmakers to adopt this new name as well.
This is a lovely perspective to have, and it made me smile. I will think of you when I next see a thread about the rising number of Linux desktop users.