One week after President Donald Trump announced that the Gulf of Mexico would now be referred to as the Gulf of America, Google Maps responded with an official statement about whether it will reflect the name change in its app.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Google clarified its stance on the potential update, stating:
“We’ve received a few questions about naming within Google Maps. We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.”
The tech giant further elaborated that when official geographic names change, Google Maps in the U.S. will reflect the updates accordingly. This means that users may soon see the term Gulf of America replacing the traditional Gulf of Mexico label.
Google’s Naming Policies Explained
Google also highlighted its approach to geographical names across different regions. According to the statement:
“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.”
This means that while U.S.-based users may eventually see Gulf of America on their maps, international users might still view both names.
Trump's Announcement on Geographic Name Changes
During his inauguration speech on January 20, President Donald Trump announced two major changes: renaming the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America and reinstating the name Mount McKinley for the mountain previously renamed Denali.
“America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world,” President Trump declared.
He added, “A short time from now, we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and we will restore the name of a great president, William McKinley, to Mount McKinley, where it should be and where it belongs.”
Will Other Maps Follow Google’s Approach?
With Google Maps following official government sources, it remains to be seen whether other major mapping services, such as Bing Maps and Apple Maps, will adopt the same approach.
For now, U.S. citizens should anticipate updates rolling out soon, ensuring that digital maps align with the government’s official designations.
