Trump's Ocean Renaming Idea Met With Criticism

President Donald Trump has floated the idea of renaming the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean as "Trump Ocean" or the "Ocean of the Americas," a suggestion met with strong disapproval from place name experts. At a political rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Oct. 10, Trump mused about the possibility, prompting laughter and applause from the audience.

Later, at an Oct. 21 rally in South Carolina, Trump stated he had asked Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps. According to Trump, Pichai declined the request, responding, "Please don't ask us to do that." Trump indicated he would likely respect this decision, stating, "I think let's keep it the Atlantic Ocean."

Place name scholars Reuben Rose-Redwood, Derek Alderman, and Frédéric Giraut argue that Trump's focus on renaming places reflects "toponymic narcissism"—the use of place names to reshape the world in one's own image. They contend that the world map is not a private development and that place names serve a civic purpose as shared global symbols that should transcend individual leaders' personal glorification or political interests.

These experts emphasize that place names are part of intangible cultural heritage and shape geographical imaginations and perceptions of the world. They also have consequences for education, international relations, and the messages projected globally. The scholars note that Trump has often focused his renaming efforts on places with Indigenous names, such as Lake Ontario and the Gulf of Mexico. They suggest that renaming the Atlantic Ocean could also be an attempt to erase an etymology that traces back to Greek mythology and references North Africa.

While acknowledging a long history of leaders using place naming to assert power, the experts assert that Trump's actions mock the very act of place naming and undermine international norms governing cartography. In response, they propose five key principles for responsible place naming in an open letter, advocating for international cooperation and respect for cultural value.

The proposed principles include recognizing place names as culturally significant intangible heritage and shared resources, emphasizing meaningful public participation in naming decisions, and ensuring that place names do not promote cultural superiority, territorial ambitions, or exclusive national ownership over shared spaces. They also suggest that places should generally not be named for living individuals, and that naming should serve the public interest rather than personal legacies. Finally, the principles acknowledge that multiple place names can exist for a single geography but caution against unilateral renaming of shared features without international dialogue.

The scholars conclude that if Trump pursues attempts to rename the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, the international community should reject such actions and defend the cultural value of place naming as a fundamental aspect of the shared world map and geographical imagination.