What just happened? Google Maps has officially changed the name of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America for users in the United States. The move follows President Donald Trump's proclamation on Sunday that decreed the renaming and the subsequent name change by the federal Board on Geographic Names.
Trump's proclamation was signed aboard Air Force One as he traveled from Palm Beach to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX. Executive Order 14172, which officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, was signed on January 20, 2025. Titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness," the order instructed the Secretary of the Interior to formalize the name change within 30 days.
Trump also declared February 9 "Gulf of America Day" and urged Americans to commemorate the day with ceremonies, programs, and activities celebrating the region's contribution to the American economy.
According to Google, the name change on Maps is part of the company's long-standing policy of adhering to official government names for locations and other geographical features. However, to comply with different policies in various countries, Google Maps will show the former name to people in Mexico, while users in the rest of the world will be shown both names.
Alongside the Gulf of Mexico, another well-known natural landmark will also see a name change following Trump's executive order. Google confirmed last month that the country's highest peak, Denali, will revert to its former name of Mount McKinley on Maps. The mountain was renamed Denali in 2015 by President Obama to honor the region's native population, which has referred to the mountain range by that name for centuries.
The Denali name change faced objections from some groups, who claimed it was an attempt to rewrite history. Trump's executive order highlighted those grievances and claimed that President Obama's decision to change the name was "an affront to President McKinley's life, his achievements, and his sacrifice."
Following the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, several federal agencies have started incorporating the new name. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Coast Guard are two such agencies that have already issued notices to notify their employees and partners about the change. The former is in the process of "updating our data and charts to show a name change from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and a name change from Denali to Mount McKinley," while the latter has started using the new name in its public notices and other official communications.
Google Maps renames Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America following Trump's executive order
