Archive · 2 Sep 2026
MapQuest Tops US App Store After Rejecting Lake America Rename
MapQuest is a map app that became very popular again in the United States.
This happened after it said it would keep calling Lake Ontario by its familiar name.
President Donald Trump had pushed for the lake to be called “Lake America.”
Some other map services changed the name, at least for users in the United States.
Google Maps uses different names depending on where the user is located.
Apple Maps also changed the name, although not everyone saw the change.
Many people downloaded MapQuest to support its decision.
The app reached the top of Apple’s US list of free apps.
MapQuest became the No. 1 free app on Apple’s US App Store.
The app refused to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” after a Donald Trump directive.
MapQuest usage increased roughly 50 times compared with the previous week.
Google Maps shows different names based on whether users are in the US or Canada.
Apple Maps changed the name to “Lake America,” though some users still saw “Lake Ontario.”
- Who
- MapQuest, President Donald Trump, Google Maps, and Apple Maps are central to the dispute.
- What
- MapQuest refused to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” and subsequently became the top free app on Apple’s US App Store.
- When
- MapQuest reached No. 1 as of Tuesday afternoon; it reported the usage increase on Tuesday.
- Where
- The rankings and user response were in the United States, while the naming issue also affected map users in Canada.
- Why
- MapQuest said it wanted to keep familiar geographic names after Trump’s proposed renaming directive, amid tensions and a trade dispute between the United States and Canada.
Keep the familiar name
Adopt the proposed new name
Lake Ontario’s displayed name
Keep the familiar name
MapQuest said it would keep the name Lake Ontario and give users a map with familiar names.
Adopt the proposed new name
The Trump administration sought to rename the lake “Lake America,” and Apple Maps changed its displayed name for at least some users.
How maps should handle regional naming
Keep the familiar name
MapQuest’s approach was to avoid changing the name and let users rename the lake through an online tool.
Adopt the proposed new name
Google Maps used location-based naming, displaying “Lake America” in the United States and “Lake Ontario” in Canada.
- Apple App Store ranking
- MapQuest was the No. 1 free app in the US as of Tuesday afternoon.
- Google Play ranking
- MapQuest ranked eighth among free apps.
- Usage increase
- MapQuest said usage was roughly 50 times higher than the previous week.
- MapQuest founding
- The online mapping service was founded in 1996.
- Proposed new name
- The proposed replacement for Lake Ontario was “Lake America.”
- Google Maps approach
- Google Maps reportedly shows “Lake America” in the US and “Lake Ontario” in Canada.
- Apple Maps approach
- Apple Maps changed the name to “Lake America” on Tuesday, although some users still saw “Lake Ontario.”