MapQuest Surges While Google, Apple Rename Lake Ontario

MapQuest retained the traditional name Lake Ontario amid a political dispute over President Trump’s executive order to rename the lake Lake America, a move that some platforms adopted for U.S. users. Google Maps and Apple Maps briefly updated U.S. maps to show Lake America, while MapQuest resisted and kept Lake Ontario, contributing to a surge in MapQuest downloads and rankings in the U.S. and Canada. Officials said the naming directive covers federal entities and does not compel private companies internationally, helping explain divergent responses. The controversy touched broader cultural debates about identity and nostalgia, with MapQuest leveraging the issue in its branding and offering a user feature to customize lake names. Analysts view MapQuest’s stance as a commercial win despite the mixed reception. The episode underscores how private mapping platforms can diverge from government name changes.