# 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:** 8
**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 21, 2025, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/141 "2025-01-21T04:19:22Z")
Don’t worry-He can no more rename a gulf than he can the name of a mountain. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/142 "2025-01-21T04:37:06Z")
Does it even matter? I mean, I know it _matters_ because it’s batshit insane and humiliating to the US, but is anyone , aside from his thralls, going to call it that? Oh wait, of course they will, because everyone is in suck up, cover own ass mode. I bet no one on this board will call it Gulf of America, and hopefully none of the other like minded democrats will either. Sadly, the incoming generations will be taught that name and probably won’t even be allowed to learn the history of it. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/143 "2025-01-21T05:09:12Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > I bet no one on this board will call it Gulf of America, and hopefully none of the other like minded democrats will either. Here in the south we just call it “The Gulf”. I don’t think I’ve ever said I was heading down to the Gulf of Mexico. But I do like the idea from a poster above and will start calling it “The Gulf of Fuck Trump”. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/144 "2025-01-21T05:13:58Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Here in the south we just call it “The Gulf” As a previous FL resident, same here. In fact, even as a Californian, the only time it ever came up in conversation is when one says " I’m going down to Baja" and the reply is often “Pacific or Gulf?”. Gulf of Fucksicko ( nice spelling, no?) ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/145 "2025-01-21T05:18:23Z")
Stolen from The Onion: “I think we should let BP decide; it’s their oil.” and “This is going to confuse a lot of fish.” ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/146 "2025-01-21T05:27:58Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > But I do like the idea from a poster above and will start calling it “The Gulf of Fuck Trump”. I’ll repeat my nomination: The Gulf of Trump’s Ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/147 "2025-01-21T05:41:29Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > This should be another good test of the Trump-is-an-idiot hypothesis. I think he, or at least his people, will stay on top of it. Well, of course. “And this time, I mean it” works so well for children, so it must be a master stroke. If they’re the sort to stay on top of something this ridiculous, at least that means time not available to do something even more insipid. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/148 "2025-01-21T07:23:16Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I’ll repeat my nomination: The Gulf of Trump’s Ignorance. Oh, it’s no where near that large. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/149 "2025-01-21T09:07:31Z")
Exactly. “The Gulf” is what we say, down here. With all the Exec. Orders he has signed to recind it seems to me these proclamations and orders are often well padded and under executed anyway. I’m not sure but is this is what we call grid-lock? Government over reach? Too damn many words. Then nothing ever changes. I’m feeling safe in thinking “The Gulf of Dumbass” won’t be official. I don’t think we’ll get a 51st state. Or no passport travel to Greenland, any time soon, either. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/150 "2025-01-21T10:22:12Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Don’t worry-He can no more rename a gulf than he can the name of a mountain. I understand that he’s getting pushback on that from Alaskan natives who prefer “Denali,” but I cannot confirm. This whole conversation reminds me of a meme I saw in one of those long-ago Cracked photoplasty contests. It was called something like “How the US sees the Solar System,” and it illustrated the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and so on, in their orbital paths. But instead of Earth, there was an outline of the lower 48. Gave me a smile; it was humorous. The US thinking that it, and only it, is the only country on our planet that matters. But that’s no longer funny. The US under Trump really does think it rules the world, and all world countries and citizens will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, in accordance with Trump’s wishes. I doubt very much that any country, mapmaker, individual, and government outside the US will call it anything but the Gulf of Mexico, as it has been called for hundreds of years. Just musing … If I won the lottery, I might just pay Rand McNally to print a map with “Gulf of Dumbass” on it. Thanks for the idea, Beck! ---
**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 21, 2025, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/151 "2025-01-21T12:06:42Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > The US under Trump really does think it rules the world, and all world countries and citizens will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico This is all just a tempest in a teapot. Sure there is an insufferable arrogance involved, not to mention tempting fate when inevitably MAGA Congress critters demand improvements in gulf state KPIs before they will release the disaster recovery funds needed from the next category 5 hurricane coming from the Gulf of America. But we rename things constantly. If you look at a map of central Australia you’ll see a monolith known as Uluru, exactly where most American maps would place Ayers Rock. For 200 years, the north-western edge of the Sydney CBD was known as Millers Point. Since 2007 it’s called Barangaroo. Nobody was harmed in the transition. All those places in non-English who name their own geographic places e.g. Canton/Guangzhou or Bombay/Mumbai etc. All hale to them. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/152 "2025-01-21T12:24:31Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Exactly. “The Gulf” is what we say, down here. This was my suggestion for the real power play. We announce that the Gulf formerly known as Mexico is now known as “The Gulf” and all other Gulfs must change their name to something else (Bay, Sound, Reach, Firth, etc. We get the only gulf. I’m waiting for him to take Greenland and then insist that because we’re on both sides of it, it’s now the American Ocean. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/153 "2025-01-21T12:32:42Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > The US under Trump really does think it rules the world, That was one of the 2-3 main themes of his inaug address. Even if I did disdain the rest of the world, I’m not sure I would be so blatant about it, essentially encouraging pushback. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/154 "2025-01-21T15:27:42Z")
So far, it’s still the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps. ---
**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 21, 2025, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/155 "2025-01-21T15:43:29Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > This was my suggestion for the real power play. We announce that the Gulf formerly known as Mexico is now known as “The Gulf” and all other Gulfs must change their name to something else (Bay, Sound, Reach, Firth, etc. We get the only gulf. Just do it like THE Ohio State University. “THE Gulf.” ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/156 "2025-01-21T16:25:40Z")
No. Because OSU is stupid and should never be emulated. I don’t care if they are national champs (they probably cheated anyway). ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 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/1012683/157 "2025-01-21T16:42:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Don’t worry-He can no more rename a gulf than he can the name of a mountain. Maybe. But some of Mussolini’s name changes are still with us: > **[Ministers freeze out plan to rebrand ski town named by Mussolini](https://www.thetimes.com/article/ministers-freeze-out-plan-to-rebrand-ski-town-named-by-mussolini-fpj3792hg)** > > A town in the Italian Alps that planned to ditch the name it was given by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini has abandoned the idea after an outcry from Giorgia Meloni’s government.Officials in ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/158 "2025-01-21T16:53:12Z")
Yeah, the canny thing about this otherwise dumbfuck change is that, to whatever extent they get it to “stick,” it’ll be nearly impossible to undo. No future President will voluntarily choose to bite into the political shit sandwich of advocating for the Mexico name to be restored, for as many generations as it might take for the current bitter division to recede and a new order to emerge. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/159 "2025-01-21T17:12:52Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > to whatever extent they get it to “stick,” it’ll be nearly impossible to undo. I was discussing that with my wife last night as we split an order of Freedom Fries. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-gulf-of-america-wth-can-you-just-change-the-name-of-a-body-of-water/1012683/160 "2025-01-21T19:21:21Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > I was discussing that with my wife last night as we split an order of Freedom Fries. Clever response. However, Obama did not run against Freedom Fries. They were gone by then. If Freedom Fries had been a party political issue the way Gulf of America is shaping up to be, we would be stuck with it until such time the associated emotions had died out. [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=7) [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=9)