In a move stemming from an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, Google has updated the name of the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps for users in the United States.
Now, U.S. users will see the waters referred to as the “American Gulf,” while those in Mexico will continue to see the traditional name, “Gulf of Mexico.” For users outside of these regions, both names will be displayed.
The change follows a directive signed by Trump shortly after his inauguration. Google clarified that it updates official names based on the user’s location, with different names appearing depending on local preferences. The company explained, “If official names differ in different countries, Google Maps users will see the official local name. For all other users around the world, both names will be displayed.”
The name “Gulf of Mexico” has been in use for centuries, since the 16th century. It covers areas along the shores of the U.S., Mexico, and Cuba.
This renaming decision follows another of Trump’s orders to revert the name of Mount Denali in Alaska to Mount McKinley, in honor of the 25th U.S. president. This name change had been reversed in 2015 by President Obama, who restored the traditional Denali name, given by local indigenous peoples.
