The digital mapping service MapQuest reached the top position among free applications in the Apple App Store after announcing it would not rename Lake Ontario. The company stated on Monday that it would retain "historical, familiar" names for geographic features rather than adopting "Lake America," a name established by a recent executive order.
The decision followed an executive order signed by President Trump last week to rename the body of water, which borders New York and the Canadian province of Ontario. The order was issued during a period of trade tension in which the United States and Canada exchanged 50% tariffs on various imports. While Google Maps updated its platform over the weekend to reflect the change, searching for "Lake Ontario" now redirects Google users to "Lake America."
MapQuest reported on Monday that hundreds of thousands of people have downloaded its application since it declared its stance on social media on Aug. 27. The company stated that current usage is approximately 50 times its typical rate. MapQuest also introduced a digital tool allowing users to generate their own custom names for the lake. As of Sept. 1, Apple Maps continued to display the name "Lake Ontario."
For the average traveler, commuter, or shipping professional, the concrete change involves a discrepancy between different mapping platforms. A person checking their phone for directions might see two different names for the same location depending on whether they use Google, Apple, or MapQuest. This could lead to variation in how locations are searched or identified in digital records and navigation logs starting immediately as these tech companies update their respective databases.
The situation sets a precedent for how private technology firms respond to federal executive orders regarding geographic naming conventions (the Geographic Names Information System). While Google moved to comply with the executive order within days, MapQuest opted to maintain the previous nomenclature, citing user familiarity. This divergence creates a split in the digital cartography market. What happens next depends on whether further federal directives are issued to private companies or if other mapping services like Apple Maps, which as of Sept. 1 had not changed the name, follow Google’s or MapQuest's lead.