Why is "La Habana" spelt "Havana" in English?

Question

What is the reason for the change of spelling?

Answer 1

To the Spanish ear b's and v's are pretty much interchangeable although I don't know why they choose la Habana.

Answer 2

It's Havana in Dutch, English, and Portuguese; La Havane in French; L'Avana in Italian; Havanna in German.

Perhaps it's because the Spanish "b" sound often sounds like a cross between a "b" and a "v".

Answer 3

There doesn't seem to be an exactly clear or sure understanding of this. One person had an understanding that "San Christoval of Havana" is the correct Spanish spelling - and that the b inserted in Cristobal seems an anglicisation.

Some have also asked, 'Which spelling came first?' Considering that the Havana spelling would in Spanish be pronounced as Habana, it looks a bit odd to see the 'b' in the Spanish spelling.

This would be because, as already twice mentioned, in Spanish the 'v' is pronounced 'b'.

So mostly, it should be Havana in both English and Spanish originally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3ACuba...