Can a Name Solve Everything?
A struggling tourism industry? One Swedish MP believes the solution could be as simple as changing the name of the airport.
Kristina Olin, a member of the Swedish parliament has proposed renaming Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Alfred Nobel Airport in an effort to boost the capital's tourism industry. Olin takes inspiration from other international airports that are named after local heroes and celebrities — Charles de Gaulle in Paris and Liverpool's John Lennon — to name a few. She also adds that Alfred Nobel, and the Nobel Prize, are both respected and renowned which could enhance Stockholm's cultural identity and international appeal, and in turn, inspire tourists to choose it as their next destination.
Relevance Matters
Two key aspects of naming are relevance and associations — which have been at thecenter of a large portion of public criticism expressed at the proposal. Many believe that the current name, Arlanda, is deeply rooted in, and associated with, it's location — the name originates from the Husby-Ärlinghundra parish, commonly referred to as Arlanda, located just a few kilometers from the airport. Naturally, this gives the current name a strong geographical association to the area and aviation itself.
This is a connection that critics agree that Alfred Novel lacks to the industry or the region. Locals in Karlskoga, the town where Nobel spent his final years, have also questioned the name's relevance.
'If anything, it's our airport that should be named after him. He is associated with Karlskoga and Bofors', said Lennart Finnström, resident of the town where a hotel, museum, and an ice rink have been named after the famous inventor, to Swedish newspaper SVT.
On top of this, concerns have been raised about the contradicition of naming an airport, a major contributor to environmental impacts, after the Nobel legacy — which holds sustainability in high regards.
A Name Change Should be Driven by Purpose
At Skriptor, we believe that a name shouldn't be changed just for the sake of it. We see renaming as a thoughtful process that must follow clear, deliberate steps to achieve a meaningful and successful result.
Arlanda is not only elegant but meaningful, and importantly, carries the right associations. Combining 'ar', relating to 'air', and 'landa', the Swedish word for 'land' — the names makes perfect sense as it is, and has done since 1958, when it was chosen by the judging panel of a competition set up to name the airport.
Since it's official opening in the 1960s, Arlanda has been in use, and has successfully established, and built a brand around the name. This is reinforced by, for example, the Arlanda Express, a popular passenger link between the airport and central Stockholm. Returning to the topic of associations and relevance — another Scandinavian city, Oslo, also has a major connection to Alfred Nobel, being the hosts of the coveted Nobel Peace Prize ceremony — which could present a confusion risk between the two cities and their airports.
In conclusion, while recognition can certainly elevate a name and draw initia attention, it's relevance that builds lasting value, providing both substance, and long-term significance.
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