Apple officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on its maps on Tuesday. This change follows an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, which was made official through the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The renaming has raised questions about digital sovereignty, political influence on cartography, and the implications for international relations.
The renaming of a major geographical feature is not a common occurrence, particularly one with as much historical and geopolitical significance as the Gulf of Mexico. President Trump initially proposed the change during his administration, arguing that the body of water, which borders the United States, should reflect American influence. After years of legal and bureaucratic processes, the change was finally recognized by the GNIS, leading major tech companies to update their maps accordingly.
Apple’s decision to implement the name change comes shortly after Google made a similar move. Last month, Google announced that it would rename the gulf once the official U.S. listing was updated. In a blog post on Sunday, the company confirmed that it had begun rolling out the change, stating that users in the United States would see “Gulf of America” while those in Mexico would continue to see “Gulf of Mexico.” Users from other regions would see both names interchangeably.
Apple followed Google’s lead, officially updating its maps on Tuesday to reflect the new name. As of now, Apple users in the U.S. will see “Gulf of America,” while it remains unclear how the name will appear for international user.
The renaming has drawn strong reactions from both sides of the border. Many Mexican officials and historians have criticized the move as an attempt at historical revisionism, arguing that the Gulf of Mexico has been known by its current name for centuries. Some have also raised concerns about how such a unilateral change could impact diplomatic relations between the two nations.
In the U.S., reactions have been mixed. While some Trump supporters view the change as a patriotic move, others argue that it sets a dangerous precedent where political influence can alter established geographical names.
This event highlights the growing influence of tech companies in shaping perceptions of geography. With companies like Apple and Google controlling global digital maps, their decisions carry significant weight. Whether the name change will be widely accepted or challenged in the long term remains to be seen
