The U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, following an order from President Donald Trump. This significant change, made official on Sunday, affects maps and listings maintained by GNIS, which is responsible for the official naming of geographic features in the United States. Major tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google have already begun updating their mapping services to reflect the new designation.
Apple and Microsoft's map services now display the name Gulf of America, aligning with the GNIS update. Google has also started rolling out the change, indicating that users in the United States will see Gulf of America, while users in Mexico will continue to view the traditional name, Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf, bordered by the Southern United States, Mexico, and Cuba, has held its previous name for over 400 years, making this a notable shift in geographic nomenclature.
The decision to rename the Gulf was one of President Trump's early initiatives upon assuming office, reflecting his administration's policy directions. Despite the official update, the Associated Press has stated it will continue to use the historical name, Gulf of Mexico, while acknowledging its new name in official contexts.
The update by GNIS reflects a broader effort to align official and digital map sources with the presidential directive. The name change was announced by Google through a blog post shortly after it was made official, highlighting its impact on digital map users worldwide. The move underscores the influence of executive decisions on geographic naming conventions and how they are implemented in digital platforms used by millions.
