On Google Maps, Lake Ontario Has a New Name

Google Maps users in the US are now seeing a new name on a very old lake. The company says its maps label Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for American users, reports Reuters, aligning with President Trump's executive order renaming the Great Lake as part of his trade clash with Canada. Google explained the move in a Saturday statement thusly, per CNN:

• "The U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has formally changed the name for 'Lake Ontario' to 'Lake America' in the United States. Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S., people using Maps in the U.S. will see 'Lake America.'"

Canadians still see "Lake Ontario," and users elsewhere see both names. Ottawa and Ontario aren't playing along: Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a sign proclaiming "Lake Ontario: Now and Always" and said "the rest of the world will always call it Lake Ontario." New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said her state won't use the new name, while Vermont Gov. Phil Scott labeled Trump's move "petty and disappointing."