Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s directive to rename Lake Ontario, Apple has updated the name to Lake America on its Apple Maps web version. Alphabet also made a similar change on Google Maps for U.S. users. This alteration aligns with the updated name in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System, as confirmed by Apple.
While users in the U.S. will now see “Lake America,” Canadian users will still see Lake Ontario. Globally, both names will be visible, mirroring Apple’s approach when the Gulf of Mexico was renamed the Gulf of America.
The modifications on Google Maps caused some confusion in Canada, with certain entities briefly displaying the Lake America name on their websites. New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have stated they will retain the original name, which has a history spanning over 400 years.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that a majority of Americans are against Trump’s recent decisions regarding Canadian imports and the lake renaming. Despite Trump’s executive order, New York, which borders a portion of Lake Ontario, and Prime Minister Carney have expressed their intent to keep the traditional name unchanged.
Historian Tim Naftali suggested that Trump’s renaming actions are aimed at provoking Canada and stirring nationalist sentiments in the U.S. This move follows a similar renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in January 2025, which both Google and Apple promptly updated on their map apps for U.S. users.