# The "Gulf of America"? Wth? Can you just change the name of a body of water? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 7, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683 "2025-01-07T18:54:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/201 "2025-01-23T02:37:44Z")
Irony, thy name is not 'merkin. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/202 "2025-01-23T02:40:46Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I just checked [abcnews.com](http://abcnews.com) and [nbcnews.com](http://nbcnews.com). They are both calling it X. Sure, just like news media outlets call the tallest skyscraper in Chicago The Willis Tower, even though everyone in Chicago still calls it the Sears Tower. Willis bought the naming rights, so it’s technically still the Willis Tower, even though Willis no longer owns it. You can officially name the Gulf of Mexico whatever you want. Most people will still call it the Gulf of Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/203 "2025-01-23T03:15:52Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Irony, thy name is not 'merkin Merkin? Did you do that on purpose? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/204 "2025-01-23T03:16:00Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Most people will still call it the Gulf of Mexico. Among Anglophones worldwide? Yes. Among English-speaking Americans? I’m less sure of that. It may track fairly closely to Trumps’s disapproval polling numbers. I may compromise and say “The Gulf.” It’s nothing to ruin a Thanksgiving over. I think Gulf of America has a better chance of sticking than Mt. McKinley. A lot there may depend on what GMC does about their Denali nameplate. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/205 "2025-01-23T14:17:04Z")
That’s what makes this so stupid… it’s been the “Gulf of _Mexico_” for several hundred years, by common usage. This whole thing is basically to rile up the “America! Fuck yeah!” crowd by making their ignorant asses think we’re taking something back or asserting our rightful place or something equally dumb. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/206 "2025-01-23T16:42:40Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Among English-speaking Americans? I’m less sure of that. I’m not. We humans are creatures of habit. Most Americans refer to it as “The Gulf” now. That won’t change. You’ll have people saying, “The Gulf of Mexi–I mean the Gulf of _America_!” You’ll also have people who, as I said, will refuse to call it that. And conversing with any other country will mean calling it “The Gulf of Mexico” if you want them to understand you. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/207 "2025-01-23T16:54:52Z")
> [@susan](#): > > [Kerry News](https://www.facebook.com/100064343543242/posts/pfbid02rnaQ7frGNktjziwrcwJrcXnHzQAAhBU9RxbzHJPeE6HsVj897PWwajQHNJLgj295l/?app=fbl) How far ahead is Dingle Mean Time? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/208 "2025-01-23T17:51:00Z")
The Russian Empire was happy letting go of Alaska cheap because they didn’t want to defend a remote territory against the British, who they were out of sorts with at the time. Of course that’s before the mineral and oil wealth was discovered. I don’t know if Greenland has potential economic benefits besides fisheries, more common minerals, and tourism. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/209 "2025-01-23T18:04:45Z")
> **[Cork's 96FM](https://www.facebook.com/Corks96fm/posts/pfbid0KgyQ14wZd7ogY6FdnWXJDpt3Qr5fSHDGf7wqq91aRcWCgQndm83ALS4eqXnDVTVFl)** > > We hear we can just rename locations now 🤷‍♀️ > > We think these all just sound better... 😅 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/210 "2025-01-23T21:59:22Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I may compromise and say “The Gulf.” It’s nothing to ruin a Thanksgiving over. I, on the other hand, will find new ways to work “Gulf of Mexico” into my conversations. What a fucking idiot we have as president. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/211 "2025-01-24T00:25:25Z")
I was thinking of trying to get “Gulf of Tinyhands” trending. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2025, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/212 "2025-01-25T06:18:47Z")
What are travel agents calling it? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/213 "2025-01-28T02:09:32Z")
[How Google Maps Plans to Handle the ‘Gulf of America’](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/27/technology/google-maps-gulf-of-america-trump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sk4.zBpQ.-fs0l5s6vQde&smid=url-share) > [@](#): > > While Google users in the United States will see the Gulf of America name, those in Mexico will continue to see “Gulf of Mexico,” which is how that country refers to the body of water. > > Users elsewhere in the world will see both names side by side, the company said in what it described as a “longstanding practice.” The Gulf of Mexico name will appear first for these users, followed by the Gulf of America name in parentheses, said two people with knowledge of the company’s plans, who were not authorized to speak publicly. . . . > Apple representatives did not respond to a request for comment . . . I’m not sure what to think about this. Ideally, you stand up to an authoritarian who changes a place name to insult another nation-state (in this case, Mexico). But by putting the phrase Gulf of Mexico first in the great majority of their markets, Google is mostly are doing that. And it’s arguably a minor symbolic issue. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/214 "2025-01-28T02:13:27Z")
One of my co-workers asked us over coffee: « I’m having trouble telling satire from news these days. Is Trump really trying to re-name the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America? » Several of us told him that was correct. He sighed. I mentioned that these days, I’m relying on The Onion for my news. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/215 "2025-01-28T02:47:37Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > One of my co-workers asked us over coffee: « I’m having trouble telling satire from news these days. Is Trump really trying to re-name the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America? » Maybe you guys should call it the Gulf of Canada ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/216 "2025-01-28T14:06:49Z")
Shame on Google. US corporations are giving up as fast as the Afghan army. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/217 "2025-01-28T14:31:01Z")
I just posted this comment to todays NY Times article on this (not the Google Maps article, the other one): I am a US geographer specializing in Latin America (and I lived in Mexico), but it doesn’t take an expert to see how this pseudo-name change is ridiculous and juvenile. Maps – in the past and today - do shape our perceptions of reality (e.g., they reify – make in some sense “real” – the human construction we call countries/states). In this case, though, I’m sure the new name won’t stick. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/218 "2025-01-28T19:41:50Z")
Now that he has changed Denali and the Gulf, how long till he changes the military bases back to being named after Confederate Generals? I am sure that he will refer to them as Great Americans who have been unfairly maligned. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/219 "2025-01-28T20:16:02Z")
Yeah, I’ve been waiting for this to happen. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2025, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/220 "2025-01-29T00:31:14Z")
They were even among the more incompetent generals in the confederacy. I don’t think Hood’s mother would have said he was a good general. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683.md?page=12)