Google Maps Renames Lake America for US Users

Following an executive order issued late last week, Google Maps now displays the label “Lake America” for what has long been known as Lake Ontario when viewed from within the United States.

If you open Google Maps from a U.S. IP address, the lake formerly labeled “Lake Ontario” will appear as “Lake America.” Google says this change reflects its established policy of following authoritative local government sources for place names.

Google Maps view from the United States — *From the United States*

Google Maps view from Canada — *From the United States*

Google clarified that users in Canada will continue to see the name “Lake Ontario” only, while international viewers outside both countries will see a combined label such as “Lake Ontario (Lake America).” This regional display is consistent with Google’s practice of relying on local government naming databases for localized map labels.

The U.S. Department of the Interior updated the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) entry for the lake on August 27 to reflect the new name following an executive action. Because Google pulls from such official sources for domestic name data, the Maps change followed shortly after that update. Google has applied the same approach in prior instances where U.S. federal databases were modified.

Canada has publicly stated it will not be changing the lake’s name. Canadian officials noted the historic origin of “Lake Ontario,” including its use for centuries and its roots in an Indigenous Wendat term often translated as a reference to the lake’s size and beauty. As a result, Canadian map services and local authorities continue to use the traditional name.

Reaction among mapping competitors and the public has been mixed. At least one competitor has said it will not adopt the U.S. naming change, instead offering users a playful name generator so individuals can propose alternative names. Other major providers have not universally mirrored Google’s update; for example, at the time of reporting Apple’s Maps did not yet display the U.S. alternative label for the lake.

When Google previously changed naming on Maps to reflect a separate, controversial U.S. naming decision earlier this year, the update prompted significant public feedback and criticism. In response to heavy backlash at that time, Google restricted new reviews for the renamed feature. For the current Lake America label, similar review restrictions were not observed in our checks.

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