8. Summary

The classical old Roman name ¡°Oceanus Germanicus¡± or ¡°Mare Germanicum¡±, also used by the celebrated geographer Ptolemy, had been in long use in Europe, designating the present North Sea. Local or popular use of the present form also has a long history in the Low Countries, but cartographic usage of the old versions changed gradually from the beginning of the Modern Age to earlier this century. People of the Low Countries chose the name ¡°De Noord Zee¡± after a compass point which was relative to their position. The acceptance of this name at Dutch initiative was obviously due to the economic importance of the Netherlands during the early modern times. The nature of being a more neutral name, not named after a country or a people, may have facilitated the spread of its use.
<Literature>
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