Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to Lake America Amid US Government Order

Google Maps has updated its labeling for 'Lake Ontario' in response to an executive order. Users within the United States will now see 'Lake America' when viewing the lake on Google Maps.

This change is based on data from the US GNIS, which was updated by the Department of the Interior as of August 27 following Trump's order. The update aligns with Google's policy of using local government data to determine location names.

However, users in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario,' according to Prime Minister Mark Carney, who stated that the name predates both the Confederation of Canada and the Declaration of Independence of the United States. The name 'Ontari'io comes from the Wendat word for 'the lake is beautiful, the lake is big.'

Competitor MapQuest has chosen not to change the name, instead offering a name generator that allows users to create their own new names for the lake.