Google Maps has begun displaying Lake Ontario as “Lake America” for users in the United States, following an executive order from President Donald Trump directing the U.S. government to adopt the new name.
The change became visible on Google Maps over the weekend, marking another development in the increasingly strained relationship between the United States and Canada.
Different Names on Different Sides
Users accessing Google Maps from the U.S. will now see the smallest of North America’s five Great Lakes labeled “Lake America.” In Canada, however, the body of water will continue to appear under its longstanding name, “Lake Ontario.”
Google confirmed the change in a statement, explaining that the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has formally updated the lake’s name in U.S. government records.
“Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S., people using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’” Google said.
For users outside both countries, Google Maps will display “Lake Ontario”, with “Lake America” appearing in parentheses.
The company said its decision follows a long-standing policy of reflecting different official names for geographical features when naming conventions vary between countries.
Move Comes Amid U.S.-Canada Tensions
The renaming follows an executive order signed by Trump on Thursday, directing the U.S. government to refer to the lake as “Lake America.” The move comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Washington and Ottawa, particularly over trade and tariffs.
The Great Lakes have long served as an important geographical and economic link between the two countries, making the unilateral naming change particularly notable.
Trump Administration Welcomes Change
Officials in the Trump administration quickly embraced the update. On Sunday, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung celebrated the change on social media, declaring: “It’s official! LAKE AMERICA on Google Maps.”
The update illustrates how changes to official geographic naming can quickly extend into widely used digital platforms. While the lake retains its traditional name in Canada, Google’s mapping system now reflects the U.S. government’s designation for American users, creating different labels for the same landmark depending on where the map is viewed.
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