Why is it more often called the River Thames and not the Thames River?

Baloo55th

Standard usage for British rivers and the British names for European ones and well-known other ones outside North America is to put River first. Exceptions are ones like the New Bedford River, the Dutch River and a few more (mostly artificial rivers) in the UK. In North America, River comes after (Hudson River for example). In the UK, Brook, Beck, Gill (Ghyll) and Eau come after the name. And some, like The Birket, don't have anything but stand alone. Indian ones tend to follow the UK pattern, Chinese the American. (River Ganges, Yangtse River.) African - River Nile but Orange River and I'm not sure about the Limpopo... Just a matter of usage and tradition. And possibly a desire to be different over there..... Sep 19 07, 3:54 PM