In a move following an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, Google has confirmed that it will rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on Google Maps within the United States. The change comes after Trump’s directive, issued on January 20, which impacts the naming of geographic locations within the US.
While the body of water will be known as the Gulf of America in the United States, it will retain its traditional name, Gulf of Mexico, in Mexico. Users outside of the US and Mexico will see both names listed on Google Maps, providing a dual reference for the location.
Additionally, in alignment with Trump’s executive order, the Alaskan peak Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, will be relabeled as Mount McKinley in the US. This change reverses a previous decision made by the Obama administration in 2015 to restore the mountain’s indigenous name, Denali.
In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Google explained its decision, stating, “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.” The tech giant further clarified the handling of varying official names across different countries: “When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too.”
The change to the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley reflects the ongoing trend of official place-name alterations, particularly those influenced by political decisions and historical debates surrounding geographic landmarks.
