Google Maps To Rename Gulf of Mexico To Gulf of America In The U.S.; Most Countries Will See Both Names

Google announced that it will rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in the U.S., following President Donald Trump's announcement regarding the matter. "When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names," Google said, calling the decision part of a long-standing practice.

Trump's executive order titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness" also reverts the name of Denali, North America's tallest peak in Alaska, back to Mount McKinley. Google confirmed this change will also appear on its maps. President Barack Obama's administration had changed the name the mountain to Denali in 2015 as a symbolic gesture to Alaska Natives.

The Gulf of Mexico, a 218,000-square-mile oceanic basin, has been named as such for at least 400 years by European explorers and mapmakers. It spans the eastern coast of Mexico, the southeastern U.S., and the western end of Cuba, connecting to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Trump linked the name change to frustrations over Mexico's handling of immigration and drug trafficking. "We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America," he said at a recent news conference."We do most of the work there, it's ours. We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. It covers a lot of territory. What a beautiful name, and it's appropriate," Trump said when discussing his decision.

Right after, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she would introduce a bill to effectively do that. "President Trump's second term is off to a GREAT start. I'll be introducing legislation ASAP to officially change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to its rightful name, the Gulf of America!" the lawmaker said in a publication on X.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to the proposal with a sarcastic remark, suggesting North America should be renamed "America Mexicana," referencing historical document that used the term, adding, "That sounds nice, no?"

Google Maps, with over 1 billion monthly users, often adjusts names based on local laws and disputes. For example, the body of water between Korea and Japan appears as the East Sea in South Korea and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) elsewhere. The company's naming decisions are influenced by history, diplomacy, and policy, as reported by The Washington Post.

However, not all are following the lead. The Associated Press will continue to use the long-established name in their articles. Amanda Barrett, AP's vice president of standards and inclusion, shared in an announcement that the major American news outlet will continue to refer to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico due to their coverage of other countries, who are not legally required to recognize the name change. "As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences," Barrett said.