Google Maps has announced it will update its platform to reflect President Trump’s decision to rename two iconic geographic features — the Gulf of Mexico and Mount Denali. The pair will soon appear on the platform as the “Gulf of America” and “Mount McKinley,” respectively. 

But not so fast. Google says it isn’t just making this change willy-nilly. They’ve got an official playbook, one they’ve followed for years.

“We’ve received a few questions about naming within Google Maps,” the tech giant posted on X on Monday evening. “We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources.” 

So, that means if the paperwork checks out, so will the names on Google Maps. Once the Department of the Interior officially updates the Geographic Names Information System, Google will move quickly to reflect the new names across its platform in the United States.

And anyone outside the United States needn’t worry — local Google Maps everywhere else will still show the previous names, “Gulf of Mexico” and “Mount Denali,” alongside the shiny new ones. “Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names,” Google said. “That applies here too.” Dual labels are part of Google’s global approach, ensuring users in different regions see culturally or politically significant names for shared geographic features, according to the company.

The drama behind the new names is rich. Mount Denali was famously renamed by President Obama in 2015, restoring a name requested by Alaska’s Koyukon native group, who had fought for decades to revert it to “Denali,” meaning “tall” in their language. 

Now, Mr. Trump is flexing his executive muscle, declaring that the peak — North America’s highest — should again honor President McKinley, a Republican leader lauded for his role during America’s expansionistic era. 

Meanwhile, the Gulf of Mexico’s proposed rebranding as the “Gulf of America” has been met with raised eyebrows (and some laughter) from Mexico. Mexico says the “Gulf of Mexico” holds international recognition and serves as a vital maritime reference with centuries of history behind it. Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, recently joked that perhaps North America should instead be called “Mexican America” in a cheeky nod to historical maps.

The Trump administration insists these changes are about preserving American heritage. “These changes reaffirm the Nation’s commitment to preserving the extraordinary heritage of the United States and ensuring that future generations of Americans celebrate the legacy of its heroes and historic assets,” the Interior Department said in a statement.

Google’s adherence to local accuracy isn’t new. The platform has weathered plenty of naming disputes before, like its labeling of the waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula as “Persian Gulf (Arabian Gulf)” or its dual naming of the body of water bordering South Korea and Japan as the “Sea of Japan (East Sea).” Its strategy is simple — maintain consistency with official government sources but respect the cultural nuances and disputes tied to geographic names.