Iceland discusses new name

Halldor Bachmann Special for USA TODAY | USATODAY

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — What to do after a financial collapse, a grass-roots revolt against the government and a volcanic cloud that disrupted cross-Atlantic air travel for weeks?

Change your name.

Iceland is holding a contest for a new name, and people in this, one of the smallest countries in Europe, are not sure whether it's a gag.

Some entries include Niceland, Rockland, Catch-A-Cloud-Land. Given the country's recent calamities natural and unnatural, some say a better idea is "Restartland."

"Foreigners that come here say that there is nothing consistent with the name Iceland," said Sigridur Bjorg, 43, an information desk worker from Reykjavik. "But isn't it a bit far-fetched to change the name of the country?"

Iceland, a land of smoldering volcanoes and lava fields and, yes, arctic ice, got its name more than 1,000 years ago from a Viking explorer. But it has a temperate climate thanks to the Gulf Stream.

In modern times, it has been one of the most prosperous of European nations, albeit one of the smallest, with a population of about 320,000.

Then in 2008, its banking system collapsed, inflation and unemployment jumped, many young people left for better horizons and others orchestrated angry street protests that brought down the government.

Iceland made news worldwide in 2010 and 2011 when huge ash clouds from a pair of volcanoes canceled thousands of flights to and from Europe.

The name change began as a promotion by the Iceland tourism office. After it prompted a storm of discussion on social media, the Iceland government announced in September it would welcome submissions of an alternative name.

The contest ends March 21, 2013, and the winner will be selected by a committee of the Promote Iceland office. The winner will get prizes, possibly including being invited to Iceland. What happens after a winner is selected seems unclear.

Some Icelanders say the whole idea is a bad joke.

"Why not just [keep] Iceland?" asked Magnus Jonsson, 71, a retiree from Mosfellsbaer who was not getting into the spirit of things (Spiritland being another entry). "There is no need to change the name."

Submissions include names that refer to Iceland's natural surroundings, such as "Birdsland" and "Volcanicland." Some have referred to recent disasters in the country that have made it infamous, such as "Eyjafjlakojland," after the volcano that blew up in 2010.

"Iceland is just about the only known brand name the country has, [and] the name is known," said Ingjaldur Hannibalsson, dean of the University of Iceland's business school.

Hannibalsson says he could not think of any other country where the name actually reflected its topography or national characteristics. "The idea of changing the name is ridiculous," he said.

Some claim the name was an intentional mischaracterization anyway, a Middle Age marketing campaign that was designed to drive people away rather than encourage them to visit.

Norwegian explorer Floki Vilgerdarson, who arrived here in the ninth century and dubbed it Iceland, damned the island as a frozen wasteland not worthy of visiting. Yet he later relocated to Iceland – prompting rumors he lied about the island's allure to keep the land to himself.

Many Icelanders want to remain as such.

"We may have a lower opinion of ourselves than others – Iceland as a nation has such a low self-esteem," said Leon Petrursson, 35, an insurance salesman from Gardabaer in south Reykjavik. "But I still think Iceland is good and strong name."