Google Maps Changes ‘Lake Ontario’ to ‘Lake America’ for U.S. Users

U.S. users searching for Lake Ontario on Google Maps will now be directed to "Lake America" instead, following President Donald Trump's executive order to rename the lake amid a trade dispute with Canada. Google announced on Saturday that the lake, shared by Canada's Ontario province and the U.S. state of New York, will display as "Lake America" in the U.S., "Lake Ontario" in Canada, and "Lake Ontario (Lake America)" for users outside North America.

The update aligns with Google's policy of acknowledging name variations across countries. The change has sparked mixed reactions, with MapQuest refusing to alter Lake Ontario's name and Apple Maps yet to adapt. The controversy stems from Trump's executive order, part of an escalating trade war with Canada, which has triggered retaliatory tariffs and diplomatic backlash.

Democrats have vowed to counter the name change, while Canadian officials have dismissed it as disrespectful. The renaming echoes a similar alteration Google made to the Gulf of Mexico's name in February 2025, sparking a lawsuit from Mexico questioning the U.S.'s authority to rename international waters.