Google Renames Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America”

The company Google has renamed the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” for users of its Maps platform within the United States, in compliance with an executive order issued by President Donald Trump.

In a blog post, Google stated that users outside the United States would continue to see both the original and new names for the Gulf of Mexico, as is the case with other disputed geographical locations, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The company added: “People using Maps in the United States will see ‘Gulf of America,’ while those in Mexico will see ‘Gulf of Mexico.’ Others will see both names.”

Google explained that this change aligns with its policy of following the official geographical names designated by the U.S. government through the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).

Additionally, during his inaugural speech on January 20, the Republican president stated his intention to restore the former name of Denali, North America’s highest peak located in Alaska (6,190 meters), back to Mount McKinley. The name was changed in 2015 by President Barack Obama in recognition of indigenous communities’ wishes.

This move sparked criticism from Alaska’s Indigenous groups, who advocate for keeping the name Denali.

In response to Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum proposed renaming the United States as “Mexican America,” referring to a 17th-century map where a large part of North America was labeled with that name.