The name of Cambodia in Khmer is Central Khmer: កម្ពុជា (UNGEGN:, ALA-LC: in Central Khmer pronounced as /kampuciə/), officially Central Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា (UNGEGN:, ALA-LC: in Central Khmer pronounced as /preahriəciənaːcak kampuciə/;). This term derives from Sanskrit Sanskrit: कम्बोजदेश (IAST:), which means the "land of Kamboja".
The same name (i.e. Kamboj/Kambuja) is also found in Burmese and Thai chronicles referring to regions within those kingdoms. An origin-myth recorded in the Baksei Chamkrong inscription, dated AD 947, derives Kambuja from Svayambhuva Kamboj, a legendary Indian sage under whose gotra later, the merchant Kaundinya I reached the Indochinese peninsula and married a Nāga princess named Soma, thus uniting the Indian and local Southeast Asian Funanese cultures. In this story Kambuja derives from Kambu+ja, and means "descendants of Kambu."[1]
Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchéa means "Kingdom of Cambodia". Etymologically, its components are: preăh ("sacred"); réach- ("king, royal, realm", from Sanskrit); -éana- (from Pāli , "authority, command, power"); -châkr (from Sanskrit chakra, meaning "wheel", a symbol of power and rule).
The name used on formal occasions, such as political speeches and news programs, is Central Khmer: ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា Central Khmer: Prâtés Kâmpŭchéa in Central Khmer pronounced as /prɑteːh kampuciə/, literally "the Country of Cambodia". The colloquial name most used by Cambodians is Central Khmer: ស្រុកខ្មែរ in Central Khmer pronounced as /srok kʰmae/, literally "Land of the Khmers" or "Khmer’s Land". srŏk is a Mon-Khmer word roughly equal to the Sanskritic Prâtés, but less formal.
| English | Khmer | French | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of Cambodia | Central Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា | French: Royaume du Cambodge | 1953–1970 | Under a monarchy. | |
| Khmer Republic | Central Khmer: សាធារណរដ្ឋខ្មែរ | French: République khmère | 1970–1975 | Under a military-led government. | |
| Kingdom of Kampuchea | Central Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា | French: Royuame du Kampuchéa | 1975-1976 | Monarchy under a coalition between the Khmer Rouge regime and a monarchistgovernment in exile. | |
| Democratic Kampuchea | Central Khmer: កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ | French: Kampuchéa démocratique | 1976–1979 | Under the Khmer Rouge regime. | |
| People's Republic of Kampuchea | Central Khmer: សាធារណរដ្ឋប្រជាមានិតកម្ពុជា | French: République populaire du Kampuchéa | 1979–1989 | Under the rule of the Vietnamese-sponsored government. | |
| State of Cambodia | Central Khmer: រដ្ឋកម្ពុជា | French: État du Cambodge | 1989–1993 | Under the United Nations Transitional Authority. | |
| Cambodia | Central Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា | French: Royaume du Cambodge | 1993–present | Under a restored monarchy. |