On April 10, 1925, the city was renamed Stalingrad, in honor of Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the Communist Party. This was officially to recognize the city and Stalin's role in its defense against the Whites between 1918 and 1920.

When was Stalingrad renamed St. Petersburg?

The city, known in English as "St. Petersburg." was changed to "Petrograd" in 1914 at the start of World War I because its original name sounded too German. In 1924, after Lenin's death, the city was given its present name.

Is Stalingrad now called St. Petersburg?

Russia's Communist leader has voiced support for a referendum to rename the city of Volgograd as Stalingrad, and has suggested that St. Petersburg readopt its Soviet-era name of Leningrad.