NewsWFLA News Channel 8August 26, 2026Hillsborough
U.S. Board on Geographic Names manages official place names amid presidential renaming proposals
The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is the federal body responsible for standardizing geographic names, a process recently highlighted by presidential proposals to rename Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico. While the BGN has officially renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America' following an executive order, international recognition of such changes remains inconsistent.
Read the full story at WFLA News Channel 8Why It Matters
The determines the official names used in federal documents and maps, which impacts how government agencies, surveyors, and scientists identify locations regardless of international usage.
Key Facts
- The U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is the federal authority for standardizing geographic names.
- The BGN was created in 1890 and codified in its current form in 1947.
- President Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America'.
- The BGN enacted the official name change for the Gulf of America following the executive order.
- The BGN process for name changes requires a detailed proposal and review.
- U.S. federal name changes do not guarantee international recognition or adoption.
- The U.S. government continues to refer to Burma, despite the country's 1989 name change to Myanmar.
- Geographic naming disputes exist globally, such as the Persian Gulf versus the Arabian Gulf.