Google updated its maps application and renamed Lake Ontario to "Lake America" for users in the United States. The change occurred after President Donald Trump ordered the name change, something he had been promising for more than a year. The Canadian province of Ontario is to the north, west and southwest of the lake, while the state of New York is on its southern and eastern shore.
President Trump made a similar proclamation in 2025, stating that the Gulf of Mexico should be known as the Gulf of America. Google now identifies the gulf as "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)". The company stated that the decision to rename the lake was because the US government's Geographic Names Information System formally altered the name.
Those using Google Maps in the US will see "Lake America," while those in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario." Searching the name in Brazil, Google also places the "Lake America" option as an alternative to the name Lake Ontario.
