Beware fact-finding on the Net

[webofevil]

“The name was officially changed from Bombay to Mumbai in 1995.”
Wikipedia

“The city of Bombay was officially renamed Mumbai in January 1996.”
Virtual Tourist

“The name of the city was changed to Mumbai by an act of parliament in 1997.”
The Mumbai Pages

EDIT: The Wikipedia page now says it was done in 1996.

Comments

[internetsdairy.livejournal.com]

There's a packet of Bombay Mix in my cupboard. Should I be selling it on eBay?

[besskeloid.livejournal.com]

Is it now known as Mumbai Biks?

[offensive-mango.livejournal.com]

All three of those could be separately true. The first two are subtly different, and the third is entirely different.

Ok, so it's unlikely. But it's possible!

[ex-cornfedpi814.livejournal.com]

This cannot be surpassed. I doff my cap to you sir.

[amuchmoreexotic.livejournal.com]

How are the first two different?

"OK, last year we changed the name from Bombay to Mumbai. But this year, let's rename the city Mumbai."

[offensive-mango.livejournal.com]

You can change your name in common usage (such as calling yourself something from day to day), then actually rename yourself (such as getting paperwork, letterheads, and so on with your new name), then go on to get a truly official act of name-change (like the parliament act described).

I'm not saying that's what they did; I'm saying it's possible.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

---------------------------
Dear everyone,

From now on we'd like you to call us by our new name, Spit City. It's not officially changed yet, but we're hoping to get all the paperwork done next year! So if you're going to write to us, please do so using our new name.

All the best

London
---------------------------

I'm really not sure this is how it works, you know.

[ex-cornfedpi814.livejournal.com]

No. It would be signed Spit City (nee London) or something.