In a controversial move, Google has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America” for users in the United States, following an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump.
The change, which affects Google Maps, was prompted by an update to the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), a U.S. government database that standardizes geographic names for federal use.
For users in the U.S., the Gulf of Mexico is now displayed as the Gulf of America on Google Maps, while Mexican users will still see the traditional name. The rest of the world sees both names side by side.
Google confirmed the update, stating that it follows a long-standing policy of incorporating official government name changes into its mapping services.
The executive order issued by Trump directed that the GNIS update include changes to the names of certain U.S. landmarks and bodies of water.
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In addition to the Gulf of America, Google announced plans to restore the name “Mount McKinley” to the highest peak in North America, located in Alaska, after it was renamed Mount Denali in 2015 during the Obama administration.
Mount McKinley was initially named after the 25th U.S. President, William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901. The mountain’s original name, Denali, was used by the Indigenous Koyukon Athabascan people.
In 2015, the U.S. government officially restored the mountain’s Indigenous name, but Trump’s executive order is set to revert it back to Mount McKinley once the GNIS reflects the changes.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions. Critics argue that the renaming disregards the cultural and historical significance of the original names, while others view it as a patriotic gesture.
For now, Google is abiding by the changes as required by the official government guidelines, though the update continues to raise questions about the politicization of place names.
