Apple Maps renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ for US users

WASHINGTON: Apple Maps has joined the latest US-Canada naming dispute, changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for users in the United States following President Donald Trump’s executive order.

The change, made on the web version of Apple Maps on Tuesday, comes days after Alphabet made a similar update to Google Maps for US users. The developments have turned a geographic name change into another flashpoint in the already strained relationship between Washington and Ottawa.

Apple said US users will see “Lake America” because the name of the body of water has been changed in the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). However, the update is not being displayed in the same way around the world.

People using Apple Maps in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario, while users elsewhere will see both names. Apple followed a similar approach after Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America”.

Canada Rejects the New Name

Trump’s executive order applies to US federal usage and does not compel Canada, international organisations or other authorities to adopt the new name.

The dispute quickly drew a response from Canadian officials. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and New York Governor Kathy Hochul have said they will not change the lake’s name.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Lake Ontario is shared by Canada and the United States. Around 52 per cent of its surface area lies in Canada, while the remaining portion borders New York state.

Canadian authorities have strongly resisted Trump’s repeated suggestions that Canada could become the 51st US state, dismissing the idea as unacceptable.

Tech Giants Caught in Political Crossfire

The Apple Maps decision highlights the growing challenge facing major technology companies as they navigate conflicting geographic naming conventions.

Both Apple and Google have updated their mapping services to reflect US government terminology for American users while maintaining different or dual names elsewhere.

The latest move follows Trump’s 2025 order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, a decision that similarly prompted major mapping platforms to adopt different naming practices depending on users’ locations.

Meanwhile, public opinion appears divided. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans opposed Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario, as well as his decision to increase taxes on imported Canadian goods.

Lake Ontario’s name has been in use for more than 400 years, making the sudden change far more than a technical map update.

For now, the lake effectively has different names depending on where a person is looking at the map — “Lake America” in the US, “Lake Ontario” in Canada, and both names elsewhere — reflecting the wider political tensions between the two neighbouring countries.