Google has announced it will update the names of the Gulf of Mexico and Denali on Google Maps after changes ordered by the Trump Administration.
These changes will reflect updates in the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), a federal mapping database.
New Names for U.S. Users
- The Gulf of Mexico will soon be renamed the “Gulf of America” for U.S. users.
- Denali, North America’s highest peak, will revert to its previous name, Mount McKinley, on Google Maps for global users. The peak was renamed Denali in 2015 during the Obama administration but will now be renamed back to Mount McKinley under the new executive order.
Contested Names
While these changes will take effect in the U.S., Mexico will continue to see the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps. Google’s policy is to display country-specific names for contested landmarks.
In countries like Mexico, the name will remain unchanged, with both names appearing side by side in regions where the naming is disputed.
Google’s Compliance
Google stated it follows a longstanding practice of updating names when official government sources, like the GNIS, reflect such changes.
The company will implement the updates once the GNIS database is updated, though as of Monday evening, the names still reflect the old designations.
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