Apple Maps has implemented a name change for Lake Ontario, displaying it as “Lake America” to users within the United States following a directive from President Trump. Users accessing the service from outside the country continue to see the original name. The decision came after Trump issued an executive order mandating the change for the Great Lake situated between New York and Ontario, Canada.
Trump framed the renaming as part of his administration’s policy to honor American heritage and achievements at natural landmarks. The president announced the change last week and subsequently declared the adoption by major mapping services as making the name change “complete, ratified, and binding.” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum had indicated the administration had contacted Apple directly about implementing the change.
The geopolitical context involves escalating trade tensions between the United States and Canada. Following the collapse of trade negotiations late last month, the US imposed a 50% tariff on several Canadian imports and threatened additional duties on steel, vehicles, and automotive components. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney responded with retaliatory tariffs ranging from 25-50% on US goods. Carney also rejected the lake renaming, noting that the name derives from the Indigenous Wendat language and predates both Canadian Confederation and the US Declaration of Independence.
Google Maps had already implemented the change over the weekend, citing Trump’s order and US Geographic Names Information System standards. Google displays the “Lake America” designation to US users, retains “Lake Ontario” for Canadian users, and shows both names to those outside North America. This mirrors Google’s earlier adoption of “Gulf of America” terminology. However, not all companies complied with the directive. MapQuest publicly rejected the request and subsequently surged to the top of Apple’s App Store rankings following its social media statement declining to change the designation.
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