"A Book of Commandments for the Government of the Church of Christ"
Joseph Smith Papers · Official Church Name at Founding
2010 – 2018
Official Church Campaign — "I'm a Mormon" · mormon.org
Times Square, NYC · 4 Countries · Federal Lawsuit, 2026
Church History · Name & Identity
What's In a Name?
196 years of the Church's relationship with its own name — told entirely through official sources.
10 QuestionsOpen BookOfficial Sources Only
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Question 1 of 10
When the Church was organized on April 6, 1830, its official name was "The Church of Christ."
The Church was formally organized under the name "The Church of Christ." The phrase "Latter-day Saints" would not appear in the official title for another four years.
In 1834, the Church officially changed its name to "The Church of the Latter Day Saints" — removing the name of Jesus Christ from the title entirely, four years after the Book of Mormon was published containing a scripture stating Christ's church must be called in his name.
On May 3, 1834, the name was changed to "The Church of the Latter Day Saints" — with Christ's name absent for four years. 3 Nephi 27:7–8, already in print since 1830, reads: "How be it my church save it be called in my name?"
In 1838, the Church changed its name a third time — back to include Jesus Christ — giving the Church three different official names in its first eight years of existence.
On April 26, 1838, Joseph Smith recorded a revelation establishing "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." Three names in eight years: Church of Christ (1830) → Church of the Latter Day Saints (1834) → Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (1838).
In October 1990, Church President Gordon B. Hinckley gave a General Conference address stating "I am not ashamed of the nickname Mormon" and that the word could mean "more good."
President Hinckley's October 1990 General Conference address, titled "Mormon Should Mean More Good," argued the nickname was too ingrained to change and could be redeemed. His exact words: "They could do worse... I am not ashamed of the nickname Mormon."
That same General Conference — 1990 — Elder Russell M. Nelson gave a competing address arguing the Church should stop using the nickname "Mormon" entirely. Hinckley's view prevailed for the next 28 years.
In the same 1990 conference, Elder Nelson delivered "Thus Shall My Church Be Called," arguing the full name should always be used. As Church President, Hinckley's position governed — and the campaign to embrace "Mormon" proceeded under him and his successor Thomas S. Monson for 28 more years.
From 2010 to 2018, the Church ran an official campaign called "I'm a Mormon" — across television, billboards, and buses in the US, Australia, Ireland, and the UK. At its peak, mormon.org hosted over 110,000 member profiles in 20 languages with 46 million page views in a single year.
The "I'm a Mormon" campaign launched in 2010 and ran for eight years across four countries. The Church hired advertising agencies Ogilvy & Mather and Hall & Partners to develop the branding. Members were officially invited to publish personal profiles on mormon.org, which became a primary Church outreach platform.
In October 2018, newly installed Church President Russell M. Nelson declared that using the nickname "Mormon" was "a major victory for Satan."
Nelson became Church President in January 2018. In his October 2018 General Conference address, he stated the Lord had impressed upon him the importance of the full Church name, and that yielding to the nickname "Mormon" represented "a major victory for Satan." The eight-year campaign his predecessor ran was discontinued immediately.
After President Nelson's 2018 declaration, the Church shut down mormon.org — deleting all member-generated profiles that had been created at the Church's own invitation — and renamed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to "The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square."
The Church undertook a comprehensive removal of "Mormon" from its brand across multiple languages. Mormon.org was shut down and all member profiles deleted. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was renamed. LDS Charities became Latter-day Saint Charities. The Mormon Channel became the Saints Channel.
Despite declaring the word "Mormon" a victory for Satan, the Church holds active registered trademarks on the word "Mormon," including in connection with educational services.
The Church confirmed in its own April 2026 newsroom statement that it "holds trademarks covering certain uses of the term 'Mormon,' including in connection with educational services." The word was not abandoned — it was retained as intellectual property.
In 2026, the Church filed a federal trademark and copyright complaint against the Mormon Stories podcast and host John Dehlin — after the podcast declined to add a disclaimer stating it was not affiliated with the Church.
In November 2025, the Church contacted the Open Stories Foundation requesting a disclaimer. When declined, the Church filed a federal complaint. The Church's own newsroom states the issue "is not the podcast's viewpoint" but the use of "Church-protected names, images, and design elements." Mormon Stories has used the word "Mormon" in its name since 2005.
All answers drawn from official Church General Conference addresses, LDS scripture, the Joseph Smith Papers, and the Church's own Newsroom.
Summary
The Church organized in 1830 under one name. Changed it in 1834 — removing Christ. Changed it again in 1838 — restoring Christ. For the next 180 years, "Mormon" became the Church's working identity in culture and daily life.
In 1990, two leaders addressed the same General Conference with opposing views on the nickname. The sitting President said he was not ashamed of it. A future President said it should be abandoned. The sitting President's view governed the next 28 years.
Beginning in 2010, the Church spent eight years and millions of dollars actively building the Mormon brand across four countries — inviting members worldwide to publish their personal stories under that name on Church platforms.
In 2018, a new president declared the word a victory for Satan. Mormon.org was shut down. Member profiles were deleted. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir was renamed. The word was removed from official channels across multiple languages worldwide.
The Church then retained trademark ownership of the word it had declared satanic. In 2026, it used those trademarks to file a federal lawsuit against a podcast that had used the word "Mormon" in its name since 2005 — the same word the Church spent eight years telling the world to be proud of.
Timeline
1830
Church organized as "The Church of Christ"
1834
Renamed "The Church of the Latter Day Saints" — Christ's name removed for four years
1838
Renamed again by revelation: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"
1990
Same conference. Hinckley: "I am not ashamed of the nickname Mormon." Nelson: stop using it.
2010–18
Official "I'm a Mormon" campaign — 4 countries, 8 years, 110,000+ profiles, 46M page views/yr
2018
Nelson: "Mormon" declared "a major victory for Satan." Mormon.org shut down. Choir renamed.
2026
Church files federal trademark lawsuit using trademarks it holds on the word "Mormon"
Note: This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All facts are drawn from official Church sources — links provided on each question.
