Apple has updated the US version of its Apple Maps to display Lake Ontario as “Lake America”, following an executive order by US President Donald Trump to rename the body of water.
The change, made on Tuesday, comes shortly after Google also updated Google Maps for users in the United States to reflect the new name. Apple confirmed that the change followed an update to the body of water’s name in the US Geographic Names Information System.
However, the renamed version will not appear the same way worldwide. Apple users in Canada will continue to see “Lake Ontario”, while users elsewhere will see both “Lake America” and “Lake Ontario”. Apple previously adopted a similar approach when Trump ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the “Gulf of America”.
Trump’s executive order applies to how the lake is referred to by the US federal government, but does not require Canada, international organisations or other bodies to adopt the new name. The lake, one of North America’s five Great Lakes, has carried the name Lake Ontario for more than 400 years.
The move has also highlighted the growing role of major technology companies in politically sensitive disputes. Tech firms such as Apple and Google have increasingly faced pressure to reflect changes introduced through government policies, even when those changes are disputed outside the United States.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and New York Governor Kathy Hochul have both rejected the renaming, with Hochul saying New York would continue using the established name. Lake Ontario is shared by Canada and the United States, with about 52% of its surface area located in Canada and the remainder in New York.
The latest development comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Ottawa. Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada could become the 51st US state since early 2025, a proposal Canadian leaders have dismissed.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll also found that a majority of Americans opposed Trump’s decision to rename Lake Ontario, as well as his move to increase taxes on imported Canadian goods.
Trump previously ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the Gulf of America in January 2025, after which both Apple and Google adjusted their mapping services for US users.
