Google Maps to Rename Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’ and Denali to Mount McKinley

In an unexpected move, Google has announced plans to rename the Gulf of Mexico and Denali mountain in Google Maps, following an executive order from President Donald Trump. This executive order mandates changes to the names of several key American landmarks, and Google is set to comply once the changes are officially updated in the federal Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

Gulf of Mexico Becomes ‘Gulf of America’

In a significant change, Google Maps will soon refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users. This name change was introduced by the Trump administration as part of their broader efforts to reflect American landmarks in a way they deem more aligned with national pride.

Google confirmed that it updates geographic names in its maps based on official government sources. So, when the GNIS reflects the new name, users across the U.S. will see the “Gulf of America” instead of the familiar Gulf of Mexico. However, international users will not see the name change, particularly in Mexico, where the body of water will still be displayed as the Gulf of Mexico.

For more on these landmark changes, check out the White House announcement.

Denali Returns to Mount McKinley for Global Users

In addition to renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the Trump administration is also restoring the name Mount McKinley for Denali, the tallest mountain in North America. Denali, located in Alaska, was officially renamed during the Obama administration in 2015 to reflect its indigenous name. The Trump administration has now reversed that decision, reintroducing the Mount McKinley name.

For global users of Google Maps, this means Denali will soon be shown as Mount McKinley, a title that was given to the peak in 1917 in honor of President William McKinley. However, for U.S. users, the mountain will retain the name Denali, reflecting the local and historical significance.

Google’s Global Approach to Geographic Names

While U.S. users of Google Maps will see these changes take effect soon, Google has clarified that international users will see different naming conventions. For example, in Mexico, users will continue to see the Gulf of Mexico, as it is still recognized as such by the Mexican government. In other regions, Google Maps will display both names side by side, respecting the naming conventions of each country.

Google explained that these name changes will take place once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is officially updated. As of now, GNIS still reflects the old names, and Google will implement the changes once the database is updated.

Here’s a statement from Google on the update:
“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. Read more on Google’s official post.

Controversy and Debate Around the Name Changes

The name changes have sparked debate in certain regions, particularly in Alaska, where the renaming of Denali back to Mount McKinley is seen as controversial by some local officials and indigenous groups. Despite these protests, the Trump administration insists that these changes align with efforts to honor American history and heritage.

For more details on the executive order and its impact on geographic names, refer to the official announcement on the White House website.

Conclusion

With these changes in mind, Google Maps will soon reflect a new landscape for U.S. users, featuring the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley. These shifts in naming, stemming from the Trump administration’s executive order, highlight how technology companies like Google comply with government mandates to reflect official geographic names.

As the updates are rolled out, it will be interesting to see how this impacts both national and international views on America’s iconic landmarks and the evolving debates around place names.