Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for US Users

Google Maps has updated its naming convention for Lake Ontario to reflect the renaming order signed by former US President Donald Trump. In August, Google announced that it would follow the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) in labeling the lake 'Lake America' for users in the United States and 'Lake Ontario' for those in Canada. Users outside of these countries will see both names displayed, with 'Ontario' taking precedence.

The change reflects Google's policy of following official government sources, as stated on its blog. The company notes that it determines a user's country location based on multiple factors, including their device and network information. This means that users in the US will only see 'Lake America', while those in Canada will only see 'Lake Ontario'.

Not all mapping programs are adopting this approach, however. MapQuest has stated that it intends to keep the same name for everyone, with no intention of changing it.