Google has decided to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America” (Gulf of America) in its maps, following an executive order issued last week by U.S. President Donald Trump. The multinational tech giant explained on Tuesday via the social media platform X that it has updated the name in its maps for users in the United States, as this is now the official designation according to the U.S. government.
“We’ve received some questions about naming within Google Maps. We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources,” Google stated on social media. The company announced that, in accordance with these official sources, an update would be made to the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The U.S. Department of the Interior had already declared on January 24 that the name change was official, fulfilling one of Trump’s many campaign promises.
Google Maps’ update will also affect the name of Mount McKinley in Alaska, which had been officially renamed Denali by Barack Obama in 2015 in recognition of its indigenous heritage. Trump, who admires President William McKinley (1897–1901) for his use of tariffs as a political tool and his colonialist policies, opted to restore its original name.
However, Google clarified that these changes will only apply to users accessing the maps from within the United States. In the rest of the world, both names will continue to be displayed.
Mexican Response and Expert Opinions
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the issue in a press conference, stating that “the Gulf of Mexico remains the Gulf of Mexico.” She emphasized the legal framework supporting the traditional name: “This is what the United States’ continental shelf treaty specifies, so there’s no need for speculation—this is simply what President Trump has signed.”
Miguel García, a map enthusiast who has been sharing and analyzing cartographic changes for over 15 years on the platform Mapas Milhaud, believes the renaming is purely political. “It’s about boosting American nationalism. No matter how surprising it may seem, even if it makes no historical sense, a leader can decide to rename something that has been unchanged for over 400 years,” he told El País.
Trump’s directive aligns with other controversial territorial aspirations of his administration, including his interest in annexing Greenland or reclaiming control over the Panama Canal during his second term in the White House.
Past Naming Controversies
While renaming the Gulf of Mexico was one of Trump’s first executive actions after taking office, similar controversies have arisen in the past. Google Maps has long adapted names according to official sources within different countries.
“When official names vary by country, Google Maps displays the local official name for users in that country. Elsewhere, both names are shown. That applies in this case as well,” Google explained.
A notable example is the Sea of Japan, which is also known as the East Sea in South Korea. Users in Japan see one name, while South Korean users see the other. Outside these countries, both names appear on Google Maps.
Another case dates back to 2012, when Iran threatened legal action against Google for allegedly omitting the term “Persian Gulf” from Maps. “Removing the name of the Persian Gulf is akin to playing with the emotions and realities of the Iranian nation,” an Iranian government spokesperson declared at the time.
Similar disputes have occurred with the Matterhorn (known as Monte Cervino in Italy) and the Cantabrian Sea, which is locally recognized in Spain but is referred to internationally as the Bay of Biscay.
“Google Maps tends to accommodate national perspectives,” García explained. “For instance, if you check Maps for the India-China border, you’ll see that many areas are marked with dashed lines, as each country claims territories that the other disputes.”