Pennsylvania state Rep. David Maloney, a Republican, is calling on President Donald Trump to rename Lake Erie to Lake Pennsylvania, citing recent federal naming initiatives and arguing the new name would better reflect the lake’s present-day identity.
Maloney said he is drafting a resolution asking the president, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and members of Congress to support the change to Lake Pennsylvania. He framed the push around tourism and recreation tied to Erie’s shoreline, noting that Pennsylvania has only one Great Lake.
“This is Pennsylvania’s only Great Lake. Its modern economy and identity are increasingly tied to the boaters, anglers, families and tourists who come to enjoy it,” Maloney said in a statement. He added that neighboring states have broader Great Lakes access, saying, “Ohio has plenty of shoreline. New York already has two Great Lakes. Canada has four others.” He concluded, “Pennsylvania has one. Let’s call it Lake Pennsylvania!”
Lake Pennsylvania push follows earlier renaming moves
Lake Erie is the smallest of the Great Lakes by volume and the shallowest overall, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Roughly 12 million people live in its watershed, including about 10.5 million in the United States and 1.9 million in Canada.
Maloney’s effort comes after President Trump signed an executive order last month to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America. Canadian officials have rejected that rebranding. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will continue to refer to the waterway as Lake Ontario, stating that naming realities remain unchanged.
The federal action applies only to the U.S. government. States, international partners and private entities are not obligated to use the new terms. Nevertheless, Apple Maps and Google Maps updated labels for U.S. users to display Lake America for Lake Ontario following the order.
The president has also floated additional changes, including renaming the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and suggesting that New Mexico be called New America. Several Democratic lawmakers from New Mexico have urged major mapping platforms to keep the current state name.
On his first day back in office in January 2025, Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America for federal usage. Apple Maps and Google Maps adopted the label for users in the United States using region-based settings.
