“We will be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring,” President-elect Donald Trump said at a press conference this week. His declaration caused waves – pun intended – around the world. It sparked questions about how such a renaming process would unfold, drawing reactions from leaders across Latin America. Perhaps the loudest rebuttal came from Mexican President Claudia, who had some name suggestions of her own.
However, Trump’s suggestion did bring up very valid questions. Is changing the name to “Gulf of America” really that far fetched? And is it even possible?
Why Is Trump Talking About Renaming the Gulf of Mexico?
It’s safe to say that Trump’s relationship with Mexico has been turbulent for years now. And it may stay that way. During the 2016 campaign trail, he promised to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it. He also imposed tariffs on Mexican goods during his presidency.
Now, he’s setting the stage for more turbulence between the nations by announcing the gulf’s name change. Trump’s suggestion to rename the Gulf seems to align with his desire to reshape international relationships and geography. “We do most of the work there and it’s ours,” Trump said about the gulf.
What’s in a Name?
The Gulf of Mexico has carried its current name for over four centuries. The name reflects the region’s Spanish colonial history.
“Baptiste Boazio, the illustrator and map maker of Francis Drake’s Caribbean cruise of attacks in the 1580s, used ‘Gulf of Mexico’ on his map ‘View of Entire Route of Sir Francis Drake’s West Indian Voyage,” the news outlet the Saint Augustine Record explains.
Before settling on the “Gulf of Mexico,” a 1630 map referred to the body of water as the “Gulf of New Spain.” The Maya actually called it the Gulf as Chactemal, meaning “the red place.”
“Early maps referred to the Gulf as Mar del Norte (Sea of the North) or Seno Mexicano (Mexican Sound). These names reflected both geographical and political considerations, emphasizing the Gulf’s location relative to Mexico, a prized territory in Spain’s colonial empire,” Miami’s Elser Hotel explains.
Can Trump Actually Change the Name?
Short answer: It’s complicated.
Renaming a major body of water isn’t like naming a household pet. According to the AP, the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which standardizes global waterway names, would need to approve the change. Additionally, other nations bordering the Gulf, like Mexico and Cuba, aren’t likely to agree.
“While the U.S. could unilaterally change how it refers to the Gulf on maps and in federal documents, the rest of the world wouldn’t necessarily follow suit,” the AP writes.
There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation.
RELATED POST: Celebrating the First Female President in North America
For perspective, in 2015, President Barack Obama renamed Mount McKinley to Denali, reflecting Indigenous heritage. Trump, however, has expressed interest in reversing that decision, so his renaming ambitions aren’t without precedent.
So, What Happens Next?
Back in Mexico, President Sheinbaum used a press conference on Wednesday to address Trump’s proposal with wit and historical perspective. Standing in front of a 1607 map depicting northern Mexico and parts of the present-day United States, Sheinbaum declared: “Why don’t we call it ‘América Mexicana’? It sounds pretty, right?”
She also made it clear that the Gulf of Mexico is internationally recognized and registered under its current name, referencing the United Nations and international maritime institutions.
To underscore her point, Sheinbaum invited historian José Alfonso Suárez del Real to explain the origins of the Gulf’s name. “Between Florida and Yucatán, the Mexican Gulf has been a critical nautical hub for navigation since the 17th century,” Suárez del Real noted. He also pointed out that the term “Mexican America” predates the arrival of British colonists in what is now Virginia.
“Much of the present-day American Southwest and West used to be territory under New Spain and later Mexico until the U.S. invaded in 1846 to seek more land for slavery,” Axios explains.
Renaming the Gulf of Mexico may not be imminent, but Trump’s suggestion raises fascinating questions about how we define, and redefine, our shared spaces. What’s in a name? Perhaps more than we think. Do you think “Gulf of America” has a beautiful ring to it?
