Apple Maps renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America,' joining Google

Business Insider | 02-09-2026 02:21am |

Apple Maps has recently changed the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" for users in the United States. This change follows a similar move by Google Maps and is linked to an executive order from former President Donald Trump, who made a request for such name changes during a trade dispute with Canada. While both Apple and Google claim to follow official government names, the name change is controversial. In the U.S., some users now see "Lake America" when searching for the lake, while Canadian users continue to see it as Lake Ontario. The change was made despite the fact that the name Lake Ontario has been used for over 300 years and has historical significance. MapQuest, another mapping service, has seen increased interest as some users want to keep using the original name and have even created templates to express their preferences. State officials have different views; for instance, New York's governor has stated that the state will continue to use the name Lake Ontario. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also criticized the name change, asserting that it should remain Lake Ontario. Overall, this situation highlights the complexities and disagreements surrounding geographic naming, especially when influenced by political actions.

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