// SOFTWARE
Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America in US
Google Maps now displays "Lake America" instead of "Lake Ontario" for users in the United States, a change prompted by a presidential executive order.
- Google Maps now displays "Lake America" instead of "Lake Ontario" for US users.
- The change follows a presidential executive order issued on Thursday.
- The order is linked to an ongoing tariff dispute with Canada.
- Users in Canada still see "Lake Ontario," while others see both names.
- MapQuest has publicly stated it will not adopt the new name.
Google Maps has changed the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" for users within the United States, a modification that appeared late Saturday. This alteration follows an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on Thursday, directing the rebranding of the Great Lake in official government databases.
The presidential order is part of an ongoing dispute over tariffs with Canada, as Ontario is a Canadian province. This move mirrors a similar directive from January 2025, when President Trump ordered the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, also in response to trade disagreements with a US southern trading partner.
Following the 2025 order, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other map providers adopted the "Gulf of America" designation after the US Department of the Interior updated its records, which occurred a few weeks after the presidential directive. Similarly, the digital maps from Google quickly reflected "Lake America" once the government databases, which inform roadway signs and government literature, were updated.
While Apple Maps and Bing Maps have not yet implemented the change, they are expected to do so. As of Sunday morning, the federal government’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) database, which guides these updates, still displayed Lake Ontario, with a note indicating that the maps were in the process of being updated to reflect the new name.
Private mapping organizations are not legally required to use official government names, but they typically align with government databases such as GNIS. Google clarified its approach to the name change, stating that users in the US will see "Lake America," while those in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario." Users outside of both the US and Canada will see both names displayed.
Google explained that these updates align with its long-standing policy for bodies of water whose names vary between countries. The company noted that these changes were beginning to roll out. The efforts by President Trump to revise geographical names on maps have sparked considerable discussion within open-source mapping communities, including OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMap, whose technology is utilized by companies like Uber and Lyft, acknowledges both the US and foreign names, allowing organizations that use its maps to choose which designation to display. In contrast to other providers, MapQuest has publicly stated its refusal to adopt the new name. The company posted on social media in response to President Trump's order, indicating it would not make the change.