President Trump signed an executive order on August 27, 2026, directing that Lake Ontario’s name in the United States be changed to “Lake America.” The title of the executive order released by the White House is “Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America.”
The key point is that the measure targets official usage by the U.S. federal government. The U.S. secretary of the interior was directed to work with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to rename Lake Ontario and update the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
Items Directed to Change Within 30 Days
The executive order directs the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to establish guidance for using the new name in official federal government materials, including:
- U.S. federal government maps
- Contracts and documents
- Official communications
- GNIS geographic-name data
The text of the executive order requires the relevant agencies to complete their actions within 30 days. A distinction should be made between President Trump’s remarks at the signing that the name change took effect immediately and the 30-day implementation schedule specified in the order itself.
What has been confirmed is a “directive to change,” not that the GNIS update has already been completed.
The Names Used by Canada and the International Community Have Not Changed
Lake Ontario is a shared body of water between the United States and Canada. The executive order addresses naming by the U.S. federal government; no provision has been identified that would compel the Canadian government or international organizations to use “Lake America.”
Therefore, it is difficult to conclude that the executive order alone has changed the name used in Canada or internationally. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the change, arguing that the name Ontario has roots in Indigenous languages and predates both Canadian Confederation and the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and New York Governor Kathy Hochul also responded in a manner indicating that they would not use the new name in Canada or New York.
What to Watch Next
There are three points to monitor in this issue:
- What guidance the U.S. Board on Geographic Names issues within 30 days
- Whether the change is actually reflected in the GNIS and in maps, documents, and communications used by U.S. federal agencies
- Whether governments and international organizations outside the United States continue using the existing name
In conclusion, “Lake America” is a new name being advanced within the U.S. federal government’s official naming system. It is too early to conclude that the official name used throughout Canada and the international community has changed, or that the GNIS update has already been completed.
Sources Checked
- [Full text of the U.S. White House executive order](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/honoring-the-american-history-of-the-great-lakes-and-renaming-lake-ontario-as-lake-america/) — Checked August 29, 2026
- [AP report](https://apnews.com/article/3ac58dca0ca83c15605d4dbff146b28a) — Checked August 29, 2026
- [CBS News report](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-executive-order-lake-ontario-lake-america/) — Checked August 29, 2026
- [Executive order information from the U.S. National Archives](https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/) — Checked August 29, 2026