Apple Maps Renames Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’ for US Users

Apple has joined Google in renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” for users in the United States, turning a presidential order over a centuries-old name into a change visible on two of the world’s most widely used map services.

Apple made the change on its web-based Maps service after the lake’s new name appeared in the US Geographic Names Information System. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, had made the same change on Google Maps late Saturday.

The display will depend on the user’s location. People in the United States will see Lake America. Users in Canada will continue to see Lake Ontario, while users elsewhere will see both names. Apple used the same approach after Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico renamed the Gulf of America.

Trump’s executive order applies to US federal usage. It does not control what Canada, international organizations or other bodies call the lake. Within hours of the order, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and New York Governor Kathy Hochul said they would not change the name. Lake Ontario is more than 400 years old, and about 52% of its surface lies in Canada, with the rest in New York.

The naming dispute comes as the Trump administration pressures US technology companies to follow executive orders that allies and international bodies have rejected. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 52% of Americans oppose both the Lake Ontario name change and Trump’s move to raise taxes on imported Canadian goods. Trump has repeatedly taunted Canada about becoming the 51st US state since early 2025, an idea Canadian leaders have dismissed as ridiculous.