Mexico's president wants to change country's name

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Alexandre Meneghini / APMexico's President Felipe Calderon delivers a speech during a ceremony in Mexico City, urging the country to change its name from "Estados Unidos Mexicanos" to just Mexico.By The Associated PressMEXICO CITY — Mexico's president is making one last attempt to get the "United States" out of Mexico — at least as far as the country's name is concerned.

Follow @NBCNewsWorld The name "United Mexican States," or "Estados Unidos Mexicanos," was adopted in 1824 after independence from Spain in imitation of Mexico's democratic northern neighbor, but it is rarely used except on official documents, money and other government material.

Still, President Felipe Calderon called a news conference Thursday to announce that he wants to make the name simply "Mexico." His country doesn't need to copy anyone, he said.

Calderon first proposed the name change as a congressman in 2003 but the bill did not make it to a vote. The new constitutional reform he proposed would have to be approved by both houses of Congress and a majority of Mexico's 31 state legislatures.Slideshow: Mexico under siegeThe death toll is spiraling throughout Mexico as a war between the country's government and the drug cartels intensifies. Launch slideshow

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