In a surprising move, Google Maps has officially changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America. This alteration follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump amid ongoing trade tensions with Canada.
Just two days after Trump cited Executive Order 14172 (Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness) to authorize the change, Google Maps updated its platform for American users on Saturday. The executive order specified that such changes should be enacted within 30 days, raising eyebrows about the speed of Google’s compliance.
Reactions to the Name Change
The decision has sparked outrage among Canadians, many Americans who cherish the old name, as well as fans of the HOMES mnemonic—an acronym for the Great Lakes. Critics argue that Google’s rapid response to Trump’s demand reflects poor judgment amid sensitive diplomatic relations.
However, Google clarified in a statement that the name change was sanctioned by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). “The U.S. Geographic Names Information System has formally changed the name for ‘Lake Ontario’ to ‘Lake America’ in the United States. Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, people using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ while those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and users outside of both countries will see both names,” the company announced.
Immediate Implementation by Government Officials
In the wake of the executive order, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed an order demanding the name change to take effect “immediately.” Google also stated that the updates align with their policy for geographical features that have differing names across countries, with rollouts commencing right away.
At present, only U.S. residents using Google Maps will see the updated name, while Canadians will continue referencing Lake Ontario. Globally, the water body will predominantly be displayed as Lake Ontario with “(Lake America)” mentioned as a secondary title.
Local Leaders Weigh In
On Saturday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed his dismay over the executive order, stating, “I just don’t see the purpose. It’s absolutely backwards. It was like something out of Saturday Night Live when [Trump] signed a document saying ‘change to Lake America.’ No one’s going to call it Lake America. It’s been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years. It’s going to continue to be Lake Ontario.”
Historical Context of Name Changes
This naming change marks the second significant body of water to be rebranded under the Trump administration, following the Gulf of Mexico’s rebranding to the Gulf of America, a change that Google Maps similarly adopted.
As of the latest update, Apple Maps continues to refer to the lake as Lake Ontario within the U.S., highlighting the differing implementations of geographical naming conventions between tech platforms.
