President Donald Trump says he asked Google to rename the Atlantic Ocean the “Trump Ocean,” but the company’s chief executive rejected the idea. Trump later said he was joking, although he admitted that he liked the name.
The president described his alleged conversation with Google CEO Sundar Pichai during a speech in South Carolina on Wednesday.
Trump said he wanted Google Maps to display a new name for the Atlantic Ocean.
However, according to Trump, Pichai explained that renaming an ocean would create problems because it borders many countries.
The president suggested that he would abandon the proposal and leave the Atlantic Ocean’s name unchanged.
Google has not publicly confirmed Trump’s account of the conversation.
Trump Ocean Proposal Meets Resistance From Google
Trump’s comments follow several efforts to change geographic names during his second term.
In January 2025, he signed an executive order changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name to the Gulf of America for official US use.
Google Maps later adopted the new name for users in the United States.
In August 2026, Trump also ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America.
Google updated its maps for American users following that decision.
However, Canadians continue to see the name Lake Ontario. Users in other countries may see both names.
According to Reuters, Google follows official US geographic naming records when updating its maps.
The company has explained that different countries may use different names for the same geographic location.
The proposed Trump Ocean name would present a different challenge because the Atlantic Ocean stretches between several continents.
Trump Says He Was Joking About Renaming the Ocean
Trump first discussed the idea during a rally in Georgia on October 16.
He claimed that he had sent Google a map showing the proposed Trump Ocean name.
According to CNN Newsource, Trump told the audience that Google had refused the request.
He also said the company explained that oceans differ from smaller bodies of water.
Trump later acknowledged that the proposal was a joke.
Still, he suggested that naming an ocean after himself was not his worst idea.
The president has previously floated other geographic name changes, including proposals involving the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz.
His remarks have renewed attention on the role of technology companies in displaying official place names.
Google Maps has followed changes made through US government naming systems. However, those decisions do not automatically change how other countries identify the same locations.
For now, the Atlantic Ocean remains the Atlantic Ocean.
And despite Trump’s comments, there is no confirmed plan to introduce the Trump Ocean name on Google Maps.
