# If Scotland becomes independent, what will the UK be called?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-scotland-becomes-independent-what-will-the-uk-be-called/681284>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 13, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-scotland-becomes-independent-what-will-the-uk-be-called/681284 "2014-02-13T22:37:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-scotland-becomes-independent-what-will-the-uk-be-called/681284/121 "2014-09-13T21:54:52Z")

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> [@jtur88](#):
>
> According to the Ngram Viewer, England has dominated usage, wy a wide margin, in forever. That, simply, is what everybody calls it, except pedants.
> 
> [Google Ngram Viewer: England,United Kingdom,Great Britain,UK](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=England%2CUnited+Kingdom%2CGreat+Britain%2CUK&year_start=1700&year_end=2000&corpus=18&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2CEngland%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CUnited%20Kingdom%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CGreat%20Britain%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CUK%3B%2Cc0)

Or people who punctuate badly, I suppose.,

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-scotland-becomes-independent-what-will-the-uk-be-called/681284/122 "2014-09-13T22:08:17Z")

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> [@jtur88](#):
>
> Get over it, Wales and Ulster, you’re part of England now.

This is rather offensive, especially given the English treatment of their country’s indigenous minorities over the last 1600 years.

One might as well say “Get over it, England, you’re part of the European Union now,” and tell them to ditch the pound in favour of the euro and miles and pints in favour of kilometers and half-litres.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-scotland-becomes-independent-what-will-the-uk-be-called/681284/123 "2014-09-13T22:32:14Z")

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Given that this thread was last active in February, and has been raised rather pointlessly, I’m going to close it.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

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