Lake Ontario Is One of Many Bodies of Water Caught in a Naming Fight

President Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” has thrown another longstanding water-body into a global fight over place names. The executive order, signed last week, would require U.S. federal entities to recognize the change, though it isn’t binding on other countries. The action follows worsening U.S.-Canada tensions after negotiations over tariffs collapsed and were followed by new tariffs and harsh rhetoric. While Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the change, experts say naming disputes can carry real consequences, because names are tied to identity and can affect everything from maps to emergency coordination.