Google Maps changes Lake Ontario's name to 'Lake America' for US users
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- Google Maps has updated its application to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for users in the United States, following a recent order by President Donald Trump amid trade tensions with Canada.
- The renaming reflects Google's policy of using names assigned by the U.S. Geographic Names Information System, resulting in different names displayed based on user location: "Lake America" in the U.S., "Lake Ontario" in Canada, and both names elsewhere.
- This change comes shortly after Trump's order and echoes a similar 2025 renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America by Google in response to a previous presidential directive.
- The renaming has been met with mockery and indifference in both countries, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford publicly reaffirming the name "Lake Ontario" through a large billboard on the Canadian shore.
- Neither the White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office, nor Ford's office have commented on Google's decision as of Sunday.
