Google Maps Now Shows ‘Lake America’ Instead of Lake Ontario

Google Maps has removed Lake Ontario from its digital maps in the United States, replacing it with the new name "Lake America." The change occurred days after President Donald Trump issued an executive order, as part of ongoing tensions with Canada over tariffs. This is not the first time Trump has attempted to rename geographical features; in January 2025, he also renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Google, along with other map providers like Apple and Microsoft, updated their systems once the US Department of the Interior changed its records, which followed Trump's order. However, Apple Maps and Bing Maps have yet to incorporate the change. The Geographic Names Information System, a database that informs these updates, still listed Lake Ontario as of Sunday morning, with a note indicating the maps are being updated to reflect the new name.

Google clarified that the names users see depend on their geographic location, with users in the US seeing "Lake America," those in Canada still seeing "Lake Ontario," and others outside those regions seeing both names. The company stated that these updates align with its policy for bodies of water with names that vary between countries.

The effort to rename geographical features has sparked debate in open-source mapping communities, such as OpenStreetMap, which maintains both US and foreign names and leaves the choice to individual map users. One map provider, MapQuest, has not changed its maps, citing a reluctance to alter the name.