Google Maps has updated its U.S. maps to display “Lake America” in place of Lake Ontario, following President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Great Lake for official U.S. government use.
The change does not apply uniformly around the world. Google said users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario,” while users outside the United States and Canada will see both names.
Google Updates Lake Name in U.S.
Google said Saturday that it updates Google Maps to reflect geographic name changes in official government sources. In the United States, that source is the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which incorporated the new designation after Trump signed the executive order on August 27.
“People using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and those outside of the U.S. and Canada will see both names,” Google said, Reuters reported.
Trump’s order directs the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to update the federal government’s geographic database and require federal agencies to use “Lake America” on maps, contracts, documents and other communications.
The order does not have authority over Canadian naming conventions or require private companies, international organizations or other countries to adopt the designation.
Apple Asked To Make Similar Change
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Monday that Trump has personally asked Apple to change the lake’s name to “Lake America” on Apple Maps.
Apple had not immediately announced whether it would make the change. The company previously took longer than Google to adopt Trump administration geographic naming changes involving the Gulf of Mexico and Denali.
Burgum said the GNIS designation is incorporated into U.S. mapping software and can subsequently affect map providers.
Canada Keeps Lake Ontario Name
Canadian officials have rejected the renaming.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a lakeside sign Saturday reading “Lake Ontario: Now and Always” in English and French. Ford said the lake would continue to be known as Lake Ontario in Canada.
Ontario officials also began reviewing provincial websites after some displayed “Lake America” through embedded Google Maps. Ontario Minister Stephen Crawford said some government websites use map data directly from Google.
Google said such discrepancies can occur when website developers select a geographic region for map localization. Websites configured for Canada should display “Lake Ontario.”
The lake is shared by New York and Ontario, Canada, with approximately 52% of its surface area on the Canadian side.
MapQuest Declines To Adopt New Name
MapQuest, an online mapping service, has said it will not change the lake’s name to reflect Trump’s order.
“We’re not changing it,” the company said in a social media post, adding that users could name the lake whatever they wanted.
The response generated significant attention, with MapQuest’s app rising to the top of Apple’s App Store navigation rankings over the weekend.
Renaming Comes Amid U.S.-Canada Tensions
Trump’s decision comes amid strained relations between the United States and Canada following the collapse of recent trade negotiations and a dispute over tariffs.
Trump first raised the possibility of renaming Lake Ontario on August 25, shortly after trade talks with Canada broke down. He subsequently signed the executive order on August 27.
The renaming follows a similar move involving the Gulf of Mexico. Trump’s administration began using “Gulf of America” for the body of water in federal government usage after an executive order signed in January 2025.
Google subsequently adopted different labels based on users’ locations, displaying “Gulf of America” in the United States, “Gulf of Mexico” in Mexico, and both names elsewhere.
For now, “Lake America” is the official designation for U.S. federal use, while Canada continues to recognize the body of water as Lake Ontario.
Provided by Dallas Express
