US President Donald Trump plans to rename the Atlantic Ocean the American Ocean on Monday. He has also proposed naming the Strait of Hormuz the Trump Strait.
According to Trump, renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America and Lake Ontario America Lake has not been enough for the United States, which still lacks an ocean and a river of its own.
These proposals to change geographical names show how place names can become a means of conveying political messages. Renaming a place is not merely a change of words; it can express an attitude toward a particular territory or emphasize a country's political self-image.
However, the president's proposal does not in itself mean that the relevant geographical name has officially changed. It is important to distinguish between a political statement and an actual decision. The same applies to the proposals concerning the Atlantic Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz, and it remains to be seen whether they will go through any official approval process.
