Sauliai was formerly part of the German Empire. In the German Empire, the place was called Joseph-Grutscheit.
The place is now called Sauliai and belongs to Lithuania.
| Historical place name | Country | Administration | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph-Grutscheit | German Empire | Tilsit | before the Versailles Treaty |
| Sauliai | Lithuania | Pajėgiai | after the Versailles Treaty |
| Joseph-Grutscheit | German Empire | Tilsit-Ragnit | 1939 |
| Sauliai | Soviet Union | Pagėgiai/Pagegjaj | 1945 |
| Sauljaj | Soviet Union | Pagėgiai/Pagegjaj | 1945 |
| Sauliai | Lithuania | Šilutė | 1992 |