When (and why) did Britain drop the 'Great' from its name?

by CptNavarre
BRIStoneman

It hasn't. It's still the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (and Crown dependencies and British Overseas Territories) that it has been since 1922, before which it was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Great Britain is just the biggest island, and has only ever been the colloquial name, particularly used in sports since Northern Ireland often competes as part of a pan-Irish team rather than as part of 'Team GB'.