The Gulf of Mexico and Denali mountain are having their names changed by the US government. Here's why that matters to locals.

The company said that Maps will reflect any updates to the Geographic Names Information System, a database of more than 1 million geographic features in the United States.

News & Advice How Names on Maps Get Changed—and Who Gets to Decide The Gulf of Mexico and Denali mountain are having their names changed by the US government. Here's why that matters to locals.

Google says it will take its cue from the U.S. government if it has to change the names of the Gulf of Mexico and Denali on its maps.

The Geographic Names Information System has updated the Gulf of Mexico's name to Gulf of America. So, Google Maps has applied the new name for users in the US.

Using US census data, creator Brian Lee Yung Rowe has developed an interactive map showing how names have grown and waned in popularity in different states since the early 1900s.