The Memory of Certain Personalities in the Romanian Public Sphere. Toponymy as a Form of Recognition

Abstract

The article analyses how the memory of certain personalities is reflected in public space through hodonymy. The investigation focuses on the city of Iași and its metropolitan area. Drawing on published information, archival documents, online sources, and toponymic micro surveys, the study analyses street names from the perspective of the difference between the popular, authentic topical denomination and the official, arbitrary one, often of a political or commemorative nature. A hierarchy of commemorated figures can be observed, ranging from voivodes and cultural figures to local heroes, as well as the administrationʼs tendency to choose long hodonyms (sometimes composed of four or more elements) and the communityʼs decreasing interest in the origin and motivation of these names. The study also highlights the need for “toponymic education”; a gratifying solution would be the introduction of explanatory plaques or QR codes to restore the link between name, place, and collective memory.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52505/1857-4300.2026.1(326).05