Google Maps to rename ‘Gulf of Mexico’ to ‘Gulf of America’ for U.S. users

Waves crash on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, after newly sworn-in U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, in Boca del Rio, Veracruz state, Mexico January 21, 2025.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Google Maps will change the name of “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America” once it is officially updated in the U.S. Geographic Names System, it said in an X post on Monday (January 27, 2025).

The change will be visible in the U.S., but it will remain “Gulf of Mexico” in Mexico. Outside of the two countries, users will see both names.

The Trump administration’s Interior Department said on Friday (January 24, 2025) it had officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, and the Alaskan peak Denali to Mount McKinley.

Google Maps, which is owned by Alphabet’s Google, will make a similar change with Mount McKinley.

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the name changes as part of a flurry of executive actions hours after taking office last Monday (January 20, 2025), making good on a campaign promise.

“As directed by the President, the Gulf of Mexico will now officially be known as the Gulf of America and North America’s highest peak will once again bear the name Mount McKinley,” the Interior Department said in a statement last week.