15 Places That Don't Mean What You Think: Explained
Discover 15 places that don't mean what you think—from Paris, Texas to Greenland—and the surprising stories behind their misleading names.

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a small but wealthy nation located on the northern coast of Borneo island in Southeast Asia. Its capital city is Bandar Seri Begawan, a calm waterfront city known for its striking mosques and stilted water village. Brunei is an absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan, who holds executive, legislative, and religious authority. The country's prosperity comes largely from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, which have supported a high standard of living for its citizens. Brunei is widely noted for its generous public services and for having no personal income tax. Surrounded by lush rainforest and mangrove swamps, the country is a peaceful destination for travelers seeking nature, Islamic architecture, and a quieter side of Borneo.
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Possibly from Sanskrit 'Varunai' (seafarers). The demonym 'Bruneian' denotes citizens.
Other places in the region and their demonyms
Discover 15 places that don't mean what you think—from Paris, Texas to Greenland—and the surprising stories behind their misleading names.
From Montenegro to Naples, these 20 place names that were literally translated show how languages rebuild geography — and what the originals mean.
Want to explore where Bruneians live? Here's the atlas that does it best:
Highly detailed, stunning visuals
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Challenge yourself with our demonym quizzes and see how many you can get right!
Take a Quiz →Challenge yourself with our demonym quizzes and see how many you can get right!
Take a Quiz →Discover demonyms from other places in this region