Mexican President Felipe Calderon sent a bill to Congress on Thursday, Nov 22, to change the constitution to tweak his nation's official name from Estados Unidos Mexicanos, or United States of Mexico, to plain old Mexico.

Mexico was given its name of Estados Unidos Mexicanos in the 19th century, when the country's post-revolutionary founders harked to the United States of America as an example of democracy and freedom to follow.

"The name of our country no longer needs to emulate that of other nations," Calderon said. "Forgive me for the expression, but Mexico's name is Mexico."

Calderon hands Mexico's reins to president-elect Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party on Dec 1.