Sourced naming explainer
Was Lake Ontario renamed Lake America?
No official federal source reviewed for this guide shows Lake Ontario being renamed Lake America. The 2025 federal naming action renamed the Gulf of Mexico for U.S. federal use and restored Mount McKinley; it did not name Lake Ontario.
By Lake Ontario Editorial Team. Published . Updated .
Bottom line
The official White House order titled “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” addresses the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley. The Interior Department implementation materials reviewed for this page address those same names. They do not identify Lake Ontario as Lake America.
How federal geographic names work
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names standardizes names used by the federal government. A U.S. federal naming decision does not automatically dictate the terminology used by Canada, publishers, independent organizations or local communities.
Why the phrase still appears online
“Lake America” can appear as commentary, satire, advocacy or speculative branding. Readers should distinguish those uses from a documented federal naming decision and check primary sources before repeating the claim as fact.
Frequently asked questions
Did President Trump rename Lake Ontario to Lake America?
No official White House, Interior Department or federal geographic-naming source reviewed for this guide documents such a rename.
What geographic names did the 2025 order address?
The order addressed the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley, along with federal geographic-naming appointments and related implementation.
Is Lake America an official Canadian name?
Canada's authoritative Canadian Geographical Names Database lists the feature as Lake Ontario (and Lac Ontario / Lake Ontario in its bilingual record), not Lake America.