A referendum on changing the territory's name was held in South Ossetia on 9 April 2017, alongside presidential elections. It was approved by 79.53%. The constitution will be amended to denominate the formal name of the country from "Republic of South Ossetia" to "Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania" ("South Ossetia–Alania" for short), referencing Alania, a state built by the Alan people. Modern Ossetians are descended from the Alans, although the name Ossetian is of Georgian origin (although the Georgian root word is itself from an Alanic autonym).