MapQuest App Surges After Rejecting Trump's Lake Name Order

The MapQuest application experienced a significant surge in downloads, reaching the number one spot in navigation apps on the App Store, following its public refusal to comply with a U.S. presidential executive order to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." Hundreds of thousands of users downloaded the app in recent days, drawn by MapQuest's stance against the presidential directive. Doug Berger, general manager at MapQuest, stated that the company had a "very quick conversation" after observing the president sign the executive order and "immediately came out with a simple statement: We’re not changing it." Berger expressed surprise at the "trajectory of that post," indicating the strong public reaction to their decision. In contrast, typing "Lake Ontario" into Google Maps, when accessed from the U.S., now autocorrects to "Lake America." However, Google Maps in Canada continues to display the original name, "Lake Ontario." Google explained its policy is to adhere to official government sources, and the U.S. Geographic Names Information System formally changed the name to "Lake America" at the president's request. Canada's decision not to implement this change accounts for the discrepancy seen by Canadian users on Google Maps. The article notes that companies and other organizations are not legally bound to adopt federal government name changes. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) website clarifies that while federal agencies must follow official name changes, these are not mandatory for states or private mapping companies. MapQuest's decision to defy the order highlights a broader principle that private entities can maintain their own naming conventions. The article also references a past instance where MapQuest may have made changes, such as renaming Mount Denali, a process that took 40 years and was later reversed by the same president. Lake Ontario's original name is of indigenous origin, meaning "the lake i. The surge in MapQuest app downloads underscores a public sentiment that values established geographical names over politically motivated alterations. The company further leaned into the situation by launching a secondary website that allows users to assign humorous alternative names to the lake, with "Lake of Hormuz" being a popular choice on the social media platform X. This move by MapQuest demonstrates a strategic engagement with current events, leveraging a moment of public interest to boost its brand visibility and app usage. The contrast with Google's adherence to official U.S. government designations positions MapQuest as a more independent and potentially more user-aligned mapping service in the eyes of many.