When I first heard that President Trump had renamed the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, I thought it was a joke, but then, of course, it wasn’t. Even after I realized it was true, I thought it was funny – in an twisted, Saturday Night Live sort of way.
But let’s be totally accurate. The Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, was the one who renamed the Gulf by issuing Secretary’s Order 3423 on February 7, directing the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to immediately rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. This was in response to President Trump’s Executive Order 14172 “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness.”
The event conjures a vision in my imagination of President Trump, Secretary Burgum, and various other officials strutting around the Oval Office with their thumbs hooked into the waistband of their trousers, smugly bobbing their heads, while uttering self-congratulatory praise to themselves, convinced that this name change was a major milestone in increasing the United States of America's prestige.
Well, it was a humorous scenario in my mind’s eye.
This change begs the question: what’s in a name? That saying originates from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The phrase implies that the name we give something doesn’t change its fundamental nature. You know – a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. Right?
Nevertheless, the renaming of the Gulf has created a significant hubbub worldwide. Despite widespread outrage, many people in the United States believe the change is welcome and justified. Online retailers wasted no time offering “Gulf of America” t-shirts, sweatshirts, and maps, and sales were brisk. A news item on TV last night featured a sport fishing captain who had the foresight to rename his boat and business “The Gulf of America" before anybody else thought of the idea. Obviously, a real marketing coup.
So, perhaps this is much ado about nothing. Is it really such a big deal?
Well, many people in the U.S. and most other countries think the name change represents the epitome of hubris, accomplishing nothing of substance, and triggering a wave of geopolitical criticism. Predictably, late-night show hosts have unleashed a relentless barrage of ridiculing humor. Considering the long list of urgent problems that need attention, renaming the Gulf of Mexico does seem rather trite.
I wonder if President Trump realizes that “America” includes every country in the Western Hemisphere. We are, after all, specifically the United States of America. What about the rest of the Americas? I bet he changed the name of the Gulf to include all the countries in North, Central, and South America. I’m sure more people could get their arms around that notion. Just add the word "the" before America and an apostrophe "s" after. Problem solved.
In the final analysis, it probably doesn’t make much difference. Here in Florida, everybody just calls it “The Gulf.” We don’t say, “Let’s go fishing on the Gulf of Mexico” or “The water on the Gulf of Mexico is very warm today.” After all, what’s in a name?
It’s not that unusual for the names of people, places, cities, and countries to be changed.
Changing a person’s name happens all the time. Many women agree to change their last name when they get married. Immigrants have often changed their names after moving to the United States. Some names got changed because an immigration official couldn’t spell the name correctly. And don’t forget that Cassius Clay changed his name to Mohammad Ali.
People’s names are important, so changing a person’s name can be controversial. Names are a fundamental aspect of human interaction, shaping our individual and collective identities. They also reflect our family history and personal stories, so changing a person’s name is a big deal.
The names of places also change. This typically happens as a consequence of war. During the Vietnam conflict, I was stationed near Saigon, which is now called Ho Chi Minh City.
Do you remember Burma? It used to be called the Toungoo Empire. Today it’s called Myanmar.
St Petersburg, Russia, was changed to Petrograd during WWI, then renamed Leningrad after a revolutionary war, and then returned to St Petersburg in 1991.
Iran, the Netherlands, Siam, Sri Lanka, Czechia, and several other countries used to be called something else not long ago.
In Florida, Orlando used to be called Jernigan, and Lake City was called Alligator – which seems like a perfectly good name to me. Why would they want to change it?
This name-changing does happen, and it’s not always pretty. Whether it’s good or not depends on which side of the change you happen to be. People with power are the ones who typically change names. Why? Because they can. The reality is that there’s almost no way to undo these changes – at least not anytime soon.
So, what’s in a name? Take my name, for example. The name John has a Hebrew origin, meaning “God’s gift.” (Ain’t it the truth…) Some people use my name to refer to a toilet or a prostitute’s client. It’s a cross I must bear, but overall, I think it’s a pretty good name. When I was a kid, my family called me Johnny. In the military, I was called York, Sergeant York, Sarge, or Bro Clyde (I forget why). I’ve also been called Jack and Sir. You can call me anything, but don’t call me late for dinner.
Whatever you call me, it’s unlikely to change who I am, and I don’t think that changing the name of the Gulf will affect that body of water much either. It might be useful to keep in mind that “This too shall pass”.
Meanwhile, you could buy a “Gulf of America” t-shirt or go on social media and hurl sarcastic slurring innuendos at the current administration.