President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing the U.S. government to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.”
The order gives Interior Secretary Doug Burgum 30 days to take steps to rename the lake and update the federal Geographic Names Information System. Federal agencies will also be directed to use the new name on maps, contracts, documents and communications.
The move follows Trump’s announcement earlier this week that he was considering the change as trade tensions between the United States and Canada continue.
What Actually Changes?
The order changes how the U.S. federal government refers to the lake, but it does not require Canada to adopt the new name.
Lake Ontario is shared by New York and the Canadian province of Ontario, meaning Canadians and international organizations may continue calling it Lake Ontario.
The move follows Trump’s earlier decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” for U.S. federal use.
The Ontario name itself has Indigenous roots. According to the Government of Canada, “Ontario” comes from the Iroquois word “kanadario,” meaning “sparkling water.”
For now, one of North America’s five Great Lakes could effectively have two names depending on who is making the map.
