How did Benin get its present name?

The country now known as Benin was historically called Dahomey during its time as a French colony and following its independence in 1960. The current name, Benin, was adopted on December 1, 1975, by the government of the time, which had begun following Marxist policies.123

The name "Benin" is derived from the Bight of Benin, a large bay on the Atlantic coast. It is important to note that this name is distinct from the precolonial Kingdom of Benin, which was located in what is now modern-day Nigeria.12