Google has announced it is renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America on its map for US users.
A post made on the social media platform X stated that users from Mexico would continue to see Gulf of Mexico while people outside of both countries will still see both names.
Google said that the change is a continuation of a practice in which official names have been adjusted according to country. This ensures local users can see their official name, and users from other countries see both versions.
Google Maps has been the subject of a number of questions. It is a practice that we have followed for many years to update names when updated by official government sources.
Following an executive order that was signed last week by Donald Trump, the decision has been made to rename Gulf of Mexico.
The US Interior Department announced the changes on Friday and said that they are working to update Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) with the new nomenclature.
The Gulf of America: What lies behind it?
Google’s name change shows how digital platforms have become a key factor in geopolitical decision-making.
The Gulf of America will be the exclusive name for the Gulf of America in the US. In Mexico, however, it will retain its original title.
The name “Gulf of Mexico” (Gulf of America) is used by users outside of these two countries.
Google has adopted similar naming conventions for other territorial disputes, including the dual-naming of “Sea of Japan” (East Sea), between Japan and South Korea.
During a press conference held earlier in the month, President Donald Trump revealed his decision to rename Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America”.
The new name was described as beautiful and appropriate by the Mexican president, who suggested that its origins were a result of his frustration with Mexico’s drug-trafficking and immigration policies.
The executive order of President Donald Trump, in addition to changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Mount McKinley, also changes the name of the tallest mountain peak of North America, Denali, to Mount McKinley. Google has confirmed that the name change is also reflected in its platform.
The executive order states that the Secretary of Interior must implement name changes within 30 days.
All federal documents, maps and contracts will have to be updated with the official name once the GNIS is updated.
This renaming is in line with Trump’s larger agenda of asserting what his administration defined as American heritage.
Reactions to Trump’s Order
Renaming the Gulf of America has elicited mixed reactions, and implications on international relations. Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, joked that North America could also be rebranded “Mexican America” in reference to a historical map label.
Renaming the Gulf is a reflection of past controversy. In 2012, Google was criticized for not naming the waterway that connects Iran to the Arabian Peninsula. It later renamed it the “Persian Gulf” (Arabian Gulf), in order to accommodate competing narratives.
Critics argue that in the case of Gulf of Mexico the renaming is unilateral and ignores cultural and historic significance of this region.
The change could strain US-Mexico diplomatic relations as the Gulf of Mexico is not just a crucial economic resource, but also an area shared by both countries.
As new information becomes available, this post Google Maps will rename Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America in the US after Trump’s Order may change.
