This nifty hack lets you revert the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America name change in Google Maps

Update 18/02/25 – 02:53 pm (IST): Mexico is now reportedly threatening to sue Google for changing the name of Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America in Google Maps.

Update 17/02/25 – 02:53 pm (IST): A recent Marquette Law School Poll national survey (January 27-February 5, 2025) of 1,018 adults reveals strong opposition to President Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, with 71% opposing and 29% favoring the change. This policy is particularly unpopular among Democrats (96% oppose) and independents (82% oppose), though 57% of Republicans support it, highlighting deep partisan divides.

Update 14/02/25 – 04:25 pm (IST): Google seems to have turned off the ability for users to review the Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps. Users get a “Posting is currently turned off for this type of place” message when they try to drop a review.

Original article published on February 12, 2025, follows:

Recently, Google Maps had to rename the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” for users in the U.S., following President Trump’s orders to change the name in official government maps. As expected, the backlash has been swift. People are not just confused; they are downright upset. This isn’t just about correcting a typo; it feels like a political statement, and not everyone is on board with it.

Many are looking for ways to push back against this unwanted change and have taken to Google’s support forums and Reddit to seek help. “I know it’s petty, but it’s ridiculous to the point where it pisses me off every time I open Google Maps,” wrote one user. If you’re one of the many looking to get back the widely recognized name, then you’re in luck. However, it’s only useful for desktop users as it comes in the form of a browser extension.

The free tool, called Gulf of Mexico Forever, quietly hit the Chrome Web Store this week. It works by scanning web pages for mentions of “Gulf of America” and swapping them back to “Gulf of Mexico.” The extension’s description makes its mission clear: “This makes sure the Gulf of Mexico is never renamed.” So far, it’s been downloaded by only 50 users and holds a 5-star rating from its early adopters.

Beyond Reddit, a petition on Change.org demanding international recognition of the Gulf of Mexico’s original name has gained traction. Many argue the rename erases the Gulf’s shared cultural and ecological significance for Mexico, the U.S., and Cuba. Meanwhile, users flooded Google’s forums with complaints. One locked thread included a letter accusing Google of bending to political pressure, calling the change “an embarrassment for Americans” and a blow to the company’s credibility.

Google did publish a blog post highlighting the change and doubling down on explaining why it had to make the change. However, not many who oppose the tweak are convinced. For now, the Chrome extension serves as a stopgap for those unwilling to wait. Though simple, it highlights a growing trend of users taking tech fixes into their own hands — whether to protest a change, cling to tradition, or just avoid a daily annoyance.

So, if you’re tired of seeing “Gulf of America” every time you zoom into that part of the map, this extension is your new best friend. At the end of the day, whether you see this as a stand for geographical truth or just a quirky way to navigate around corporate decisions, “Gulf of Mexico Forever” offers a bit of peace in the digital world for those who prefer their maps straightforward.