TL;DR: MapQuest will not rename Lake Ontario because its data provider, Here Technologies, adheres to official U.S. and Canadian cartographic standards that recognize only established geographic names. You cannot change it via user edits; you must submit a formal naming request to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), which MapQuest then reflects only if approved.
How to Navigate MapQuest’s Name Policy
Step 1: Verify the official name. Check the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) or Natural Resources Canada’s Geographical Names Board. Lake Ontario is listed as a permanent feature. If your proposed name—e.g., “Lake Ontario II”—is not in these registries, MapQuest will ignore it.
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Step 2: Understand MapQuest’s data chain. MapQuest pulls map labels from third-party vendors like Here and TomTom. These vendors update from national gazetteers, not user feedback forms. So, do not waste time clicking “Report a problem” on the map; that tool only fixes addresses or road geometry, not water body names.
Step 3: Submit a formal proposal to the BGN. Go to the BGN’s Domestic Names Committee website. You must provide historical evidence (e.g., 18th-century maps, treaties, or indigenous usage) that a new name has local, documented usage. The BGN votes on proposals quarterly. If approved, they publish the change in the Federal Register.
Step 4: Wait for the vendor sync. After BGN approval, Here or TomTom updates their database within 6–18 months. MapQuest then automatically displays the new name. You cannot expedite this; no MapQuest support ticket will override the official record.
Tip: If you want a custom label for personal use, save a screenshot and use a third-party map editor that allows local overlays (e.g., Google My Maps). MapQuest’s core web app has no layer for user-defined water names.
Warning: Do not submit duplicate proposals. The BGN rejects redundant applications and may flag your email as spam. Also, MapQuest will never rename a lake for a commercial sponsor or social media campaign—only legal geographic authorities.
FAQ
Q: Can I rename Lake Ontario on MapQuest for a school project?
A: No. MapQuest only displays names from official federal databases; your project won’t appear unless you get BGN approval, which requires historical evidence and years of review.
Q: Is there a “suggest a name” button on MapQuest?
A: No. The only feedback option is for map errors (roads, pin locations). Lake names are locked to the vendor’s gazetteer, which you cannot edit directly.
Q: What if Canada approves a new name but the U.S. doesn’t?
A: MapQuest shows the name based on the country whose territory the water falls under. Since Lake Ontario crosses the border, the U.S. BGN name takes precedence for the U.S. side, and Canadian names apply for their side—MapQuest will display both if they differ, but you cannot force a single unified rename.
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