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What鈥檚 in a name? A lot, say eight cities changing 鈥淐olumbus Day鈥� to 鈥淚ndigenous People鈥檚 Day鈥� in the past two months.

For decades, Native Americans have urged states that celebrate the federal holiday to reconsider honoring a man many聽 of opening the Americas to enslavement, genocide, and cultural destruction 鈥� and 鈥渇inding鈥� the wrong continent, to boot. (The Italian explorer was convinced he鈥檇 reached Asia.)聽

South Dakota and Berkeley, Calif., were among the first to pay attention, choosing to use the second Monday in October to honor the New World鈥檚 first inhabitants instead of its 15th century newcomers. Berkeley鈥檚 decision went into effect in 1992, marking the 500th anniversary of the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria鈥檚 fabled ocean voyage.听

But further protests seemed to fall on deaf ears, until a sudden wave of Columbus cancellations in the past two years: , from Albuquerque to Seattle to St. Paul. This new wave may represent a broader shift in how Americans view Native American rights, or at least the growing local political influence of indigenous groups.听

According to the Albequerque City Council鈥檚 , Indigenous Peoples Day is meant to honor the 鈥渋ndigenous nations [who] have lived upon this land since time immemorial鈥� and show respect for 鈥淎merican Indian thought, culture, and technology.鈥澛�

Although debates rage on about exactly how much damage Europeans inflicted on Native populations immediately after their arrival, some estimate that of the continent鈥檚 first inhabitants died from warfare, enslavement, or diseases, violence which carried into the American government鈥檚 discriminatory policies through the 19th and early 20th century, and are still felt today, , versus the US average of 15 percent.

Some groups say that, although they鈥檙e not opposed to recognizing Native nations鈥� trauma, Columbus himself can鈥檛 be sacrificed. Columbus Day, in fact, was founded in order to honor : Italian-Americans, who flock to New York City鈥檚 annual 35,000 marcher-strong parade each October.听

Opposing Seattle鈥檚 decision to hold Indigenous Peoples Day, Italian-American activist Ralph Fascitelli told reporters in 2014 that, although the holiday鈥檚 intentions were valuable, the change was 鈥済oing too far in terms of political correctness.鈥�

鈥淲e say today, 鈥楤asta!鈥� ...We say, 鈥楴o more discrimination,鈥� he added, according to the .听

Earlier this week, the Brown University Daily Herald website briefly published an op-ed protesting the school鈥檚 plan to celebrate Indigenous People鈥檚 Day by a student who suggested that Americans focus on the 鈥淐olumbian Exchange,鈥� the introduction of new products and species from Old World to New and vice versa, rather than Columbus the man.

鈥淎ll Native Americans should celebrate Columbus Day, even if they have reservations about honoring Christopher Columbus himself,鈥� , causing a ruckus on campus. The paper clarified that Maier鈥檚 column was .

Discrimination against Native Americans became a mainstream media headline twice earlier this year: Pope Francis鈥� controversial canonization of Junipero Serra, a priest in California鈥檚 early mission system, and the ongoing saga of the Washington Redskins football team, whose trademark was聽cancelled by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

Native American issues may be getting more airtime, but the effects are still unclear: for example, a to officially rename Columbus Day "Indigenous Peoples' Day" attracted just under 9,000 votes, not enough to meet the signature requirement.听

But a may stand ready to advocate for their communities on a wider scale: a record number are getting involved in state and local government, where their sights are set far beyond Columbus Day.

As Dylan Sevett wrote for , "This name change is a fantastic trend that needs to grow fast, but it needs to be followed up by concrete action and legislation" to improve Native lives today.听