Google’s decision to display Lake Ontario as “Lake America” has triggered a sharp backlash – and unexpectedly sent users flocking back to MapQuest.
The map provider said it was following the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), after Executive Order 14420 instructed the Board on Geographic Names to rename the lake and update the national database.
Google said in a blog post that it generally uses GNIS when deciding how geographical names should appear on its maps. The company followed the same process in February 2025, when it changed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
MapQuest downloads surge after Lake Ontario change
MapQuest, once a dominant online mapping service before Google Maps became the market leader, posted a cropped image of Lake Ontario on social media on Friday with the message: “We’re not changing it.”
The post drew widespread support, alongside surprise from users who had assumed the service no longer existed.
Downloads of MapQuest’s Android and iOS apps rose by 128% over the weekend, taking them to the top of the maps and navigation categories on both platforms, according to figures from its owner, System1. Usage of the app increased 50-fold, the company said.
The episode has highlighted the influence wielded by major mapping platforms over the names seen by millions of people. Google Maps is also deeply embedded in other digital services through its mapping APIs, meaning the change could appear well beyond Google’s own applications.
Apple has not yet made the same alteration in its Maps app. Reports have suggested the company is facing pressure to follow the official US database, although it has so far continued to use the name Lake Ontario.
The lake lies between the US state of New York and the Canadian province of Ontario, making the naming decision particularly sensitive amid wider tensions between Washington and Ottawa. While the dispute may appear largely symbolic, the reach of digital mapping services means the terminology adopted by technology companies can quickly become part of everyday use.
