Google Maps Renames Gulf of Mexico for US Users Only

In Canada, the gulf is now labelled "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)". Google explained it's following a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.

Google Maps has renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" -- but only for U.S. users.

The body of water bordered by the southern U.S., Mexico and Cuba is still named the "Gulf of Mexico" for people in Mexico. The region displays both names for users everywhere else, including Canada, as "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)".

In a thread on X, Google explained that it's following a "longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources."

"When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name," it continued. "Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too."

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the gulf be renamed shortly after taking office. He also ordered America's highest mountain to be renamed back to Mt. McKinley.

Google Maps still refers to the latter by its former name, Denali, although it said it would make the change once the name has been updated in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System.

The name Denali -- which has long been more commonly used in Alaska -- is based on the indigenous Koyukon Athabascan people's name for the mountain. Alaska requested the mountain be officially recognized as Denali in 1975, but the name was officially changed in federal documents under Barack Obama.

Apple's map app still refers to both locations by their previous names, as of publication.

On Sunday, Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 9 "Gulf of America Day" while flying over the gulf on his way to the Super Bowl.

At the same time, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum confirmed the name change in a post to X: "Congratulations @POTUS on the Gulf of America," he wrote.

"@Interior has implemented your instruction from the Executive Order on Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness. Another big win for President Trump's agenda to Make America Great Again."

On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration noted it is in the process of updating its charts and data to reflect both name changes, for the next publication cycle.

When Trump first discussed renaming the gulf, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo joked that North America should be renamed "América Mexicana," or "Mexican America."

Weeks later, she emphasized: "For us and for the entire world, it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico."