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Trump wanted to rename Atlantic: For a geographic name change to actually take root, it must clear distinct domestic, international, and commercial hurdles
US President Donald Trump and Google CEO Sundar Pichai at the White House driveway. (Reuters File)
United States (US) President Donald Trump shared at a South Carolina rally that he had approached Google CEO Sundar Pichai to rename the Atlantic Ocean.
A country can change what it calls an ocean for its own official use, but is it so easy for a country or company to rename an ocean globally? The rules, explained
THE TRUMP-PICHAI INTERACTION
Pichai reportedly declined, explaining that “oceans are different” because they border multiple countries.
While Trump has used executive orders to direct U.S. federal agencies to use the names “Gulf of America” (for the Gulf of Mexico) and “Lake America” (for Lake Ontario)—changes that Google Maps adopted exclusively for U.S. users—the process for oceans involves distinct limitations.
WHAT IT TAKES TO RENAME A GEOGRAPHICAL BODY
For a geographic name change to actually take root, it must clear distinct domestic, international, and commercial hurdles:
At A Glance
Donald Trump shared that he approached Google CEO Sundar Pichai to rename the Atlantic Ocean, a request Pichai declined.
A country can change what it calls an ocean for its own official use, but renaming an ocean globally is virtually impossible for any single nation.
Trump has used executive orders to direct U.S. federal agencies to use the names Gulf of America and Lake America.
Domestic Authority (The Federal Level)
Inside the United States, a president can issue an executive order directing federal agencies to adopt a new name on official maps and documents. These names are typically processed by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), specifically its Foreign Names Committee when dealing with international waters. This only binds American government agencies; it has no legal authority over how citizens or other countries speak.
International Consensus (The Global Level)
Oceans do not belong to any single country. To change a name internationally, a country must go through global bodies:
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): The IHO coordinates international standards for nautical charts and ocean boundaries. Changes require a consensus among member states.
The United Nations: Under UN resolutions on geographical names, if countries sharing a geographic feature cannot agree on a single name, each country’s preferred name is accepted. One nation cannot override the others.
For example, when the U.S. renamed Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for domestic use, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the change, stating Canadians would continue calling it Lake Ontario.
3. Commercial Mapping (The Digital Level)
Tech companies like Google, Apple, or Microsoft maintain their own commercial mapping databases.
While companies often adapt to local laws or sovereign directives to protect their business interests—such as showing localized names to specific countries—they generally resist changing transnational, multi-border bodies of water unilaterally.
As Pichai reportedly noted, because oceans border dozens of sovereign nations, changing the name globally on Google Maps would spark massive international confusion and geopolitical backlash.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Google CEO Sundar Pichai declined Donald Trump’s request to rename the Atlantic Ocean, explaining that oceans are different because they border multiple countries and changing their names globally would spark massive international confusion and geopolitical backlash.
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At the news desk for 20 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci…Read More
October 23, 2026, 3:30 PM IST
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