Google Maps has changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to America.
We knew it was going to happen, but now it has arrived.
Google has updated its mapping service, changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America" in search results in the United States. This modification comes after an executive order from former President Donald Trump, which aims to rename this marine area. Although the change has been implemented in the U.S. versions of Google Maps, the internationally recognized name of the gulf remains for users outside the U.S., who will continue to see "Gulf of Mexico."
At the end of last month, Google had already announced its intention to update Maps in accordance with Trump's directive, which also includes the change from Denali to Mount McKinley. The company had postponed the implementation of these changes until the names were updated in official government sources, specifically in the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which had not yet recorded the new name for the gulf.
With the fulfillment of the executive order, which set a 30-day deadline for making such changes, the GNIS now labels the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America," and Google has followed this adjustment. From now on, users in the U.S. searching for "Gulf of Mexico" will encounter the phrase "Gulf of America" highlighted in their results, as well as in Google Maps, where they will also be redirected to the location with its new name.
In contrast, users in Australia conducting the same search will see "Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America)," with the recognized name still in use. Google Maps in Australia displays the full name of the gulf and also shows related U.S. business results.
Recently, Trump declared February 9 as the "first Gulf of America Day," encouraging public officials and the American population to commemorate this day with events and ceremonies. However, no specific activities for this celebration have been detailed, and it is unlikely to become a public holiday.
On the other hand, despite the order to rename the mountain Denali as Mount McKinley, the latter name has yet to be reflected on Google Maps, suggesting that the company prefers to wait for the official update from GNIS to make the change.