Google Maps to roll out Trump-approved Denali and Gulf of Mexico rebrands
- Reference: 1738083614
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/01/28/google_maps_trump_order/
- Source link:
The [1]thrust was that Mount Denali, the highest peak in North America, would revert to Mount McKinley, named after 25th President William McKinley, as it had officially been known from 1917 until 2015, when President Obama legitimized its Native Alaskan name.
Some 4,500 miles (7,200 km) to the southeast, the order also targets the Gulf of Mexico to rebrand as the Gulf of America because it has "been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America," so on, so forth.
[2]
The [3]order is stuffed to the gills with Trump's usual jingoistic bombast. For example, "President McKinley championed tariffs to protect US manufacturing, boost domestic production, and drive US industrialization and global reach to new heights. He was tragically assassinated in an attack on our Nation's values and our success." Therefore, terrific guy. He probably understood how tariffs work.
[4]
[5]
Anyway, the world has been waiting with bated breath to see how cartographers would respond to such edicts. After all, it's not every day that a head of state arbitrarily renames a landmark or 600,000 sq mi (1.55 million sq km) of ocean that also shares 2,000 miles of its 3,700-mile coastline with Mexico and Cuba.
Google of Google Maps fame has been one of the first to announce its intention to toe the line. Writing on [6]social media , it said: "We've received a few questions about naming within Google Maps. We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources."
[7]
This means that Google defers to the Geographic Names Information System, the official repository of geographic names for all places (natural and human-made) in the United States, maintained by the US Geological Survey.
[8]US freezes foreign aid, halting cybersecurity defense and policy funds for allies
[9]Trump nukes 60 years of anti-discrimination rules for federal contractors
[10]Infosec was literally the last item in Trump's policy plan, yet major changes are likely on his watch
[11]Trump hits undo on Biden AI safety order, EV mandate, emissions standards, and more
While both mountain and gulf still bear their former names in Google Maps, the order gives the Secretary of the Interior 30 days to "update the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to reflect the renaming" of both locations. Once that has been completed, Google Maps should show the same.
Shakespeare's Juliet famously said: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet," meaning that names are just labels that don't affect the underlying nature of a thing.
Peter Bellerby of London company Bellerby & Co. Globemakers [12]said of the Gulf of America: "It is, I suppose, an internationally recognized sea, but (to be honest), a situation like this has never come up before so I need to confirm the appropriate convention.
"If, for instance, [Trump] wanted to change the Atlantic Ocean to the American Ocean, we would probably just ignore it."
[13]
Likewise, Alaska Natives will continue to refer to Mount McKinley as Denali, as they have for centuries, and Mexico at the very least will stick with the established nomenclature for the body of water.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum [14]said the day after Trump's executive order was issued: "For us and for the entire world it will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico." ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/21/trump_eliminates_biden_ai_order/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Z5lhj9Prkc4cCAWWXcyNBAAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-names-that-honor-american-greatness/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z5lhj9Prkc4cCAWWXcyNBAAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z5lhj9Prkc4cCAWWXcyNBAAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://x.com/NewsFromGoogle/status/1884012692048166951
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Z5lhj9Prkc4cCAWWXcyNBAAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/27/us_state_department_freezes_cyber_aid/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/22/trump_federal_contractor_eo/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/22/trump_cyber_policy/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/21/trump_eliminates_biden_ai_order/
[12] https://apnews.com/article/trump-gulf-mexico-america-map-teachers-96e31cfa30f0619cde8f4076aec19f1c
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Z5lhj9Prkc4cCAWWXcyNBAAAAYQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://apnews.com/article/mexico-us-trump-gulf-name-046f765d52fc9d05d83bbca4b2017539
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: xkcd 1688 needs an update
We bigly prefer the new name Gulf of America.
Winning.
What's in a name...
The sea between England & France is the English channel to most of the world.
The French call it La Manche & almost nobody cares.
Re: What's in a name...
The French call it La Manche & almost nobody cares.
Except for Spain, Portugal, and the (former) colonies of both (and France's -- former -- colonies too I'd guess)
Re: What's in a name...
Is that true? As far as I know it's known as 'the Channel' (in their local language) almost everywhere, except in the UK where it is known as 'the English Channel'.
The Spanish call it 'El canal de la Mancha', the French call it 'La Manche', the Belgians call it 'Het Kanaal/La Manche', the Dutch call it 'Het Kanaal', the Portuguese call it 'Canal da Mancha', the Italians call it 'il Canale della Manica', the Danes call it 'kanalen', the Germans it 'Der Ärmelkanal'.
Re: What's in a name...
‘Tunnel sous la Manche’ on e.g. the A16 approaching
Re: What's in a name...
That's why Musk wants to rename it to the 'George Washington Channel'.
Re: What's in a name...
He would adore to have a country named after himself. How about Muscovy or Moscovia, or even Moskoviya, some variant on Muskovia?
Re: What's in a name...
A nation called that has existed before, in the 13th century. Moscovia or Muscovy is now considered a historical region in Central Russia.
Re: What's in a name...
Er, yes, I know, I didn't make up those names!
Re: What's in a name...
When Trump negotiates the end of the war between Russia and the Ukraine he can throw in a rider to have Moskow renamed to Muskow.
Re: What's in a name...
When Trump negotiates the end of the war between Russia and the Ukraine he can throw in a rider to have Moskow renamed to Muskow.
Re: What's in a name...
Isn't that already the name of the capital of Russia?
Widening
Surely the Gulf of America is between Trump and his brown-nosers and the rest of the world?
Re: Widening
Surely the Gulf of America is the space between Trump's ears.
Not for the developed world, shirley
Shirley this is only for American users, not for the rest of the world?
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
The rest of the world might start reporting it as an error.
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
>>The rest of the world might start reporting it as an error.<<
Except when Chinese-AI gets involved. Probably think of it as the Gulf of Competition.
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
Correct. The restored of us will have to endure seeing Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America, as it will shoe both names for everywhere other than US and Mexico-based souls
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
We can of course rename American cities, such as their capital CrappyMcCrappyPlace DC.
For a start I think a block on any that are obviously stolen foreign IP. Although New Y**k will be renamed to New Doncaster
Everything else gets refereed to by its Spanish or First Nation name
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
If reversion to an earlier name is to happen, then New York can become New Amsterdam or maybe Raritan again. Damn trump and his brainless headspace.
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
> then New York can become New Amsterdam
That's a bit offensive, what have the Dutch done to offend you ?
New Brussels on the other hand .....
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
New Amsterdam was foundeded in the 1620s I believe, the other name, I think, came from the Algonquin language prior to the trumps arriving.
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
It was (briefly) New Angouleme before it was New Amsterdam (Verrazzano claimed the area for France in 1524).
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
So Manu can ask Donnie to get back NY?
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
I'm guessing that would be a Sprout of Brussel.
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
>Although New Y**k will be renamed to New Doncaster
New Sconthorpe, Shirley ?
Re: Not for the developed world, shirley
Definitely New sCUNThorpe, if it involves a floridian orange twat
drill baby drill!
It's for the oil. He's about to go full evil with the oil and gas.
Nobody in the states will call it that except the cult. He's laying claim on it like a monkey, or an ape.
Wonder what it will be called when ruzzia takes Alaska?
Re: drill baby drill!
Hey, we, in Chicago, still refer to these as the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Building, and Comiskey Park.
Although, for the latter, we mostly call it empty...
So waddya think the chances are that "Gulf of Amerika" is going to enter the lexicon?
Freedom Fries 2.0
sounds familiar?
Re: Freedom Fries 2.0
I, for one never stopped calling them Freedom Fries!
Wait, sorry, I mean I never *started* calling them that, I keep getting those mixed up. So sorry. :D
A petty irrelevance.
MAGA wanting to change the Gulf of Mexico to The Gulf of America is a petty irrelevance to the rest of the world, who will no doubt carry on calling it The Gulf of Mexico.
A bit like the Take Back Control mob changing the colour of our passports from burgundy to blue.
Just a bit of a 'yahh-boo' to appease their supporters that everyone else will just ignore.
Re: A petty irrelevance.
(I've [1]posted this before , but it's worth reposting as a reminder that even the excuse used was a lie.) (*)
You mean the same blue passports that [2]the UK *could* have retained *if* it hadn't made the choice of its own volition to use the standardised but non-mandated EU format and default colour scheme?
You mean blue passports like the ones that Croatia- an EU member- has? You mean the blue-coloured passports that were imposed on "us" by the League of Nations in the first place?
The ones that it was obvious the lying scum who chose to play political football with the future of the UK over such trivialities were going to use as their flag-bearer for "taking back control", even though it was "our" own f*****g choice in the first place?
Yeah, I thought so.
I'd like to be able to make a joke about where they should have their newly-manufactured blue passports inserted once they're shipped over from France, but frankly there's nothing funny about any of this any more.
(*) Though I should still be clear that I don't want to imply that the "blue passports" complaint it would have been any more legitimate- or any less a right-wing-pandering excuse to fuck about with the UK's political future over a triviality even if it *had* been true. It's just that it- and its supporters- didn't even have the decency to care about that.
[1] https://forums.theregister.com/forum/all/2018/03/26/uk_struck_off_galileo_project/#c_3467115
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/dec/22/blue-passports-taking-back-control-imposed-league-of-nations-burgundy-passport-eu
AFAIK MAGA never asked for this
I think Trump was just looking for some way to piss off Mexico's president because she's called him out - and because she's a she and if there's anything Trump hates it is a woman in a position of power. Basically just acting like the little whiny baby he is tossing toys out of his crib when someone won't come running with a bottle and fresh diaper every time he cries.
Re: AFAIK MAGA never asked for this
Yet he invited Giorgia Meloni to his inauguration. Checkmate.
Re: AFAIK MAGA never asked for this
She's the PM of Italy not the president of Mexico you moron.
Re: AFAIK MAGA never asked for this
And a right-wing MAGAt wannabee, who would have no compunction about kissing tRump's...well, Rump.
Re: A petty irrelevance.
"A Petty Irrelevance" could be the opening phrase of the orange mans biography....
I bet he'll be pissed if someone tells him "Gulf" has nothing to do with "Golf"....
Not only the Americans who are at it
Folks from the Republic of Ireland and one half of the community in Northern Ireland tend to get a bit annoyed at the use of the term British Isles.
The government of Ireland does not officially recognise the term.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_the_British_Isles
As for Derry/LondonDerry...
Re: Not only the Americans who are at it
We have both Derry and Londonderry in New Hampshire!
So when will Google be asked ...
to relabel Greenland as Trumpland ?
Re: So when will Google be asked ...
You mean Trumpistan ?
Re: So when will Google be asked ...
Trumpistan is the metropole, Greenland would be Overseas Trumpistan
Re: So when will Google be asked ...
Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan [Trumpistan]
Re: So when will Google be asked ...
Orangeland
Another bit of grift by the Trump Administration?
Just as with the 'Trump Bible', no doubt these Trumpian name changes will result in a Trump World Atlas and Trump Map of America with the new names appearing, printed for peanuts in China, and forced upon US schools at an exorbitant price.
Re: Another bit of grift by the Trump Administration?
Make America Great Atlas
Copyright me @2025
xkcd 1688 needs an update
[1]https://xkcd.com/1688/
[1] https://xkcd.com/1688/