Lake Ontario could soon carry a new label in your favorite navigation app. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move that echoes last year’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. The order arrives amid an ongoing trade dispute with Canada.
For now, the lake is still labeled “Lake Ontario” across major mapping platforms, but that may not last. When the Gulf of Mexico was renamed, it took several weeks before Apple Maps, Google Maps and Bing Maps all reflected the change, following an update to the Geographic Names Information System.
Which Map Apps Might Change the Name
The three biggest players in digital mapping, Apple, Google and Microsoft, adjusted their labels for the Gulf after the government database was updated. A similar timeline could apply here, though none of the companies have confirmed plans for Lake Ontario.
One provider has already ruled it out. MapQuest announced in a post on X that it will not rename the lake in its software, telling users, “We’re not changing the name of Lake Ontario. Name it whatever you want at your leisure.” The post included a screenshot displaying the label “Lake Are We Doing This Again?” and invited people to create their own custom names.
A White House spokesperson did not address MapQuest’s post or offer a timeline for tech company compliance. Assistant Press Secretary Allison Schuster said the majority of the lake’s volume sits in United States territory and that its name will now reflect its place in America and its heritage.
Why the Border Complicates the Change
A key difference separates this renaming from the Gulf of Mexico case: the US-Canada border runs directly through the Great Lake. That creates added technical hurdles for mapping platforms even if they proceed. Software might need to switch the displayed name on the fly as a user crosses the border, and Apple, Google and Microsoft would face no obligation to show the new name to customers in Canada.
The order also touches a piece of classroom shorthand. Lake Ontario forms part of “HOMES,” the mnemonic students use to remember the five Great Lakes. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, criticizing the order, noted that the new acronym would spell “SHAME.”
As of now, the label in Google Maps still reads Lake Ontario.
