Days after Trump’s announcement, Google Maps to rename ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America’

“We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,” Google wrote in a post on X.

The new name will only appear for Google Maps users in the United States, while in Mexico, the landmark will still be referred to as the “Gulf of Mexico.” For users outside both countries, Google Maps will display both names simultaneously.

Trump’s renaming spree

According to the Interior Department, the Gulf of Mexico is now officially the Gulf of America, and Alaska’s Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, will revert to its previous name, Mount McKinley.

Google Maps will update this name as well. Denali was originally renamed Mount McKinley in 1917 to honour the 25th US President, William McKinley. However, the Obama administration restored the name Denali in 2015. President Trump ordered these changes as part of a series of executive actions issued shortly after taking office on January 20, fulfilling a campaign pledge.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum humorously suggested earlier this month that North America, including the United States, could be renamed “Mexican America,” referencing an old map of the region.

Google’s naming policy

Google applies a consistent policy of locale-based naming conventions for disputed locations. For instance, the water body bordering Japan and South Korea is labelled as “Sea of Japan (East Sea)” outside those countries.

In 2012, Iran threatened legal action against Google for omitting the term “Persian Gulf” from its maps, leaving the waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula unnamed. The body of water is now displayed as “Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf)” in various regions.