I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 07/10/2026www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...insidehighered.comAlabama’s New “Gulf of America” Mandate Impacts CollegesRepublican lawmakers say faculty can only call it the Gulf of Mexico for “historical purposes” in academic courses. Journalists are constrained by the restriction, too. 012
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionReuben Rose-Redwood @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social · 24/09/2026This week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed for an article in the newsletter of @therestpolitics.bsky.social podcast on Trump's efforts to rewrite the world map through place renaming. Check it out! mailchi.mp/8d2beefae7ea... @uvicgeography.bsky.socialmailchi.mpRewriting the Map: Presidents & Names 051
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionReuben Rose-Redwood @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Last night, my interview about Tr*mp's effort to rename Lake Ontario aired on TVO's show, The Rundown. Check it out! @uvicgeography.bsky.social @uvic.ca @uvicsocialsciences.bsky.social @geographers.bsky.social @cangeographers.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=go2C...youtube.com"Lake America"? What's Happening to Canada-U.S. Relations? | The RundownYouTube video by TVO Today 095
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 09/09/2026“The removal of Trump place names in the U.S. and around the world is a real possibility once his second term ends. But doing so will likely require a deliberate bureaucratic and political struggle rather than simply flipping a switch.” theconversation.com/place-name-p...theconversation.comPlace-name politics: Why renaming streets named Trump requires more than just outrageRenaming Ottawa’s Trump Avenue is part of a long history of cities engaging in “toponymic diplomacy.” 010
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Looking for a place naming activity to bring to your classroom? The Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education (OKAGE) has developed the following resource that explores place renamings in Asia. Thanks to the @NCGE for sharing this! okageweb.org/new-blog/loc...okageweb.orgLocation Name Changes in Asia - Updated 2026 — OKAGEDescription: In this lesson, students will investigate name changes of locations in Asia. They will be able to understand why location names change and apply this knowledge to current events and issu... 010
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 07/09/2026“While companies may wish to avoid angering President Trump and his supporters ... other companies may realise a commercial advantage with keeping the name Lake Ontario and attracting customers who refuse to patronise a business using Lake America.”channelnewsasia.comCNA Explains: Lake America to Department of War – Trump-era name changes and why they matterPresidential orders can change official US usage, but they cannot dictate what the rest of the world calls a place. Still, adoption by influential players such as Google and Apple could drive wider ac... 020
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 02/09/2026"Although map tech companies appear on the surface to be simply about delivering the latest and most accurate geographic information, they are actually deeply involved in the politics of representing the earth and shaping whose histories and identities are given visibility and legitimacy on maps.”nytimes.comMap Apps Are Handling Trump’s Renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America DifferentlyNavigation companies face a new dilemma after President Trump ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed Lake America. 020
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionThe Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 29/08/2026Lake Ontario ➡️ Lake America? A geographer explains the politics and procedures behind renaming lakes, seas, and mountains:theconversation.comLake Ontario to Lake America – who gets to decide what goes on maps?A geographer explains the politics and procedures behind renaming American places. 72612
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 29/08/2026@derekgeographer.bsky.social and @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social continue to engage with national media over the renaming of Lake Ontario. Enjoy this well-done video interview by NBC Los Angeles! www.nbclosangeles.com/video/news/n...nbclosangeles.comTrump renamed Lake Ontario. But can he make ‘Lake America' stick?President Trump renamed Lake Ontario “Lake America” for U.S. federal use. Experts explain his authority, the potential costs and whether the new name will stick. 063
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionReuben Rose-Redwood @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social · 28/08/2026An editorial that I wrote together with @derekgeographer.bsky.social on Trump's attempt to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" has just been released in TIME. Check it out! time.com/article/2026...time.comThe Trouble With Trump’s Attempt to Rename Lake OntarioTrump’s renaming of Lake Ontario is symbolic political theater aimed at diverting our attention away from the fallout of his trade war with Canada, write Reuben Rose-Redwood and Derek Alderman. 251
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 28/08/2026“I believe the name change, because of the way it is being carried out in such an abrupt, unilateral and vitriolic way… could likely damage the United States’s ability to negotiate, given how much the Lake America mandate is inflaming opinions and defensive posture anxieties in Canada.”aljazeera.comCan Trump really rename Lake Ontario, ‘Lake America’?Amid tariff war with Canada, Trump has signed an executive order renaming the shared lake. 010
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionReuben Rose-Redwood @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Place renaming as rage baiting? "Trump’s threat to rename Lake Ontario is pure rage bait aimed at stoking anger among Canadians while distracting Americans from the fact that Trump overplayed his hand in the trade negotiations with Canada." www.newsweek.com/trump-says-u...newsweek.comTrump says US considering renaming Lake Ontario as Lake AmericaTrump's remarks come amid a deepening cross-border trade feud that has increasingly centered on Ontario Premier Doug Ford. 042
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Within the I-NAME Coalition, we understood the significance of place names and the power a place renaming exerts for the communities that are affected most. Should place names serve as bartering chips in petty politics? #INAME 011
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Further examples of Trump’s topographic and material narcissism continue. www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...theatlantic.comTrump Is Putting His Face on EverythingThe more you look, the more you see. 010
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 04/08/2026"In a time of personality-driven politics, public spaces, it seems, can be used not just for commemoration but also for branding, power, and shaping a personal legacy." www.rte.ie/news/analysi...rte.ieWhat's in a name? Florida airport renamed for TrumpPalm Beach International Airport is set to get a new name and call sign - move over PBI, here comes DJT. 010
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 23/05/2026At a time when geographic names are turned into political weapons, we need principled frameworks that are participatory, research-driven, reparative, & paired with education. New piece w/Christine K. Johnson on Reconciliation in Place Names @utkgeography.bsky.social escholarship.org/uc/item/4tp6...escholarship.org 074
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 20/05/2026“The fact that Nauru’s original name was shaped by outsiders’ inability or unwillingness to pronounce ‘Naoero’ properly reflects a clear power imbalance that the country is now interested in rectifying.”nytimes.comThis Pacific Island Nation Hopes You Will Call It by a New Name 011
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 22/03/2026www.kron4.com/news/bay-are...kron4.comPetition seeks to rename Cesar Chavez Street in SF to Chuck Norris BoulevardSAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — In the wake of explosive abuse allegations against now-disgraced civil rights and labor leader Cesar Chavez, a former candidate for San Francisco District Supervisor ha… 020
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 20/02/2026Congratulations to I-NAME Founder @derekgeographer.bsky.social and I-NAME member @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social for another great op-ed article addressing in this era of "toponymic narcissism"! thehill.com/opinion/whit...thehill.com 031
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 19/02/2026theconversation.com/trumprx-trum...theconversation.comTrumpRx, Trump Kennedy Center, Trump National Parks passes − government free speech allows the president to name things after himselfThe law is on Trump’s side, in most cases, when his administration names things after him. But citizens still have the right to protest. 010
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 12/02/2026Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump International Airport? This Has to Stop. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/o...nytimes.comOpinion | Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump International Airport? This Has to Stop. 031
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 10/02/2026"He was not simply changing the name. He was actually enacting a different worldview..." Kudos to @derekgeographer.bsky.social for contributing remarks for another national news piece on place renaming! www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...usatoday.comThe Gulf of What? Has Trump's name change caught on?It's been a year since President Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. We asked people along its shores what they actually call it. 043
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionReuben Rose-Redwood @reubenroseredwood.bsky.social · 25/01/2026A sign of the times: toponymic narcissism and political tribute-paying. That about sums up Trump's conception of geography. It's always a delight to contribute to public dialogue with @derekgeographer.bsky.social www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...usatoday.comWhat's in a name? Plenty, when that name is 'Trump.''Toponymic narcissism' describes someone's obsession with naming things after themselves. Trump's name now seems to be everywhere. 065
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 19/01/2026tennesseelookout.com/2026/01/19/s...tennesseelookout.comSymbolism isn’t enough: What Tennessee’s MLK streets reveal about investment and power • Tennessee LookoutThe naming of streets in Tennessee for Rev. Martin Luther King has come about through the activism of Black leaders. 011
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 02/12/2025Communities don’t choose names by accident. Honoring Lincoln is a way for places to weave themselves into a larger American story. Our place names reflect who we elevate, why, & to what political ends. Thanks @bridgemi.com for the interview bridgemi.com/quality-life... @utkgeography.bsky.socialbridgemi.comHonestly, how many places are named after Abe Lincoln? In Michigan, a lot - Bridge MichiganPresident Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, launching a November tradition. It was also tradition to name municipalities, schools and roads after Lincoln. 192
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionUSA TODAY @usatoday.com · 08/10/2025A new bill would make all of Florida's public state universities and colleges rename one roadway on their campuses after Charlie Kirk.bit.lyBill would make Florida colleges, universities rename streets after Charlie KirkA new bill would make all of Florida's public state universities and colleges rename one roadway on their campuses after Charlie Kirk. 2194
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 08/10/2025www.tampabay.com/news/educati...tampabay.comFlorida bill would require universities to rename streets in honor of Charlie KirkIf the bill passes and the schools don’t change the names, they could lose state funding. 000
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 08/05/2025Now Trump trying to rename the Persian Gulf the 'Arabian Gulf.' Iranian-Canadian human rights activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay says. "He can spin words and rename bodies of water for political and economic gain but he can’t rewrite 2,500 years of history." www.rawstory.com/trump-arabia...rawstory.com'Bring the wrath': Trump triggers furious reaction with 'Arabian Gulf' planPresident Donald Trump reportedly plans to announce during his upcoming trip to the Middle East that the United States will no longer recognize the Persian Gulf, instead renaming it as the "Arabian Gu... 032
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 26/04/2025Odessa, Texas approves MLK Jr. Street renaming in historic community. Past efforts to rename larger portion of street faced opposition. Resident who lived under Jim Crow says the street will be a reminder of how far the community has come and how much work remains. www.newswest9.com/article/news...newswest9.comOdessa City Council approves MLK Jr. Street renaming in historic communityA major Odessa street will soon carry the name of one of America’s most iconic civil rights leaders. 061
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 29/03/2025Elaine Brown, former Black Panther, may get her own Oakland street name. Named road intersection in West Oakland is the site of an apartment building and commercial hub that Brown’s nonprofit, Oakland & The World Enterprises, built last year. oaklandside.org/2025/03/28/e...oaklandside.orgElaine Brown, former Black Panther, may get her own Oakland street nameThe city wants to rename the intersection of 7th and Campbell streets after the activist and real estate developer. 031
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 29/03/2025Are Florida’s Confederate statues & place names coming back? Trump orders restoration of monuments. Unclear how much power Secretary of the Interior can exert at local level, but it will surely inspire or scare officials into compliance. #ReConfederatization www.jacksonville.com/story/news/p...jacksonville.comAre Florida’s Confederate statues coming back? Trump orders restoration of monumentsPresident Trump has ordered monuments removed or changed for "ideological" reasons to be restored. How will this affect Florida's Confederate statues? 032
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionAmerican Association of Geographers @geographers.bsky.social · 28/03/2025@us.theconversation.com showcased Seth Kannar and Derek Alderman's work on what place names and renaming tell us about power. theconversation.com/from-greenla... #edusky #geosky @derekgeographer.bsky.social @macalestercollege.bsky.socialtheconversation.comFrom Greenland to Fort Bragg, America is caught in a name game where place names become political toolsRewriting the map can influence the public psyche in ways subtle and not so subtle. 088
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionThe Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 28/03/2025Greenland to "Red, White, and Blueland"? The Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America"? #Geography scholars explore the contentious world of geopolitical rebranding - and what it does to our psyches. buff.ly/DXrbKcc #poliskybuff.lyFrom Greenland to Fort Bragg, America is caught in a name game where place names become political toolsRewriting the map can influence the public psyche in ways subtle and not so subtle. 1125
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 26/03/2025theconversation.com/from-greenla...theconversation.comFrom Greenland to Fort Bragg, America is caught in a name game where place names become political toolsRewriting the map can influence the public psyche in ways subtle and not so subtle. 011
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 13/03/2025How do you like Vaccine Drive, Radiography Road, or Laboratory Place? Glasgow, Scotland councillors ridiculed over "creative" street name ideas for housing estate. Meant to honor site's history as former hospital, but caused an outbreak of criticism. www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/...thetimes.comGlasgow councillors ridiculed over ‘silly’ new street namesRadiography Road and Virology Grove also suggested for roads on the site of a former hospital, but locals mocked Glasgow council’s ‘creative’ plans 053
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 14/02/2025The Heartwarming and Cynical Story of Fort Bragg's New Old Name www.ncrabbithole.com/p/fort-rolan...ncrabbithole.comThe Heartwarming and Cynical Story of Fort Bragg's New Old NameNorth Carolina's biggest military base is switching back to its former moniker. Sort of. Here's the story of a loophole in the law and an obscure soldier who committed an amazing act of bravery. 051
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionSetholopolis @sethographer.bsky.social · 11/02/2025@i-name.bsky.social This place naming takeover has gone beyond unserious. Are we sure this isn’t a prank, or an article from The Onion? www.thedailybeast.com/new-gop-bill...thedailybeast.comGOP Bill Would Let Trump Rename Greenland ‘Red, White and Blueland’Great news, folks. 042
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 10/02/2025The place naming takeover continues.pbs.orgWATCH: Trump declares Feb. 9 'Gulf of America Day' on flight to Super BowlPresident Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 9 “the first ever Gulf of America Day" as Air Force One flew over the body of water that he ordered to be renamed from the Gulf of Mexico. T... 011
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 09/02/2025@i-name.bsky.social The Place Name Reform Rollback Begins! Army to consider changing Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg. One option to play a "name game," identifying base not with Confederate but WWII Silver Star Recipient Roland Bragg--using brave man's name as pawn www.nbcnews.com/politics/nat...nbcnews.comArmy considering changing name of Fort Liberty back to Fort BraggPresident Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have both criticized a 2021 law that banned the naming of military bases after confederate generals. 022
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 01/02/2025New Zealand just granted personhood to mountain long identified as sacred to Māori. Major implications for naming natural features to maintain indigenous identity rather than treated as possession of political leaders. Instructive for USA & MAGA rewriting of place names www.npr.org/2025/01/31/n...npr.orgA New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for MāoriThe recognition acknowledges the mountain's theft from the Māori after New Zealand was colonized. It fulfills an agreement from the country's government to Indigenous people. 0157
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionThe Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 24/01/2025Can Trump just order new names for Denali and the Gulf of Mexico? A geographer explains who decides what goes on the map: buff.ly/3PPkElK (Innisfree McKinnon, University of Wisconsin-Stout) #geography #cartography 🗃️buff.lyCan Trump just order new names for Denali and the Gulf of Mexico? A geographer explains who decides what goes on the mapHow do place names get made and then changed? There’s a process. But it involves people as well as bureaucracy, so it’s not simple or quick, as President Trump is about to find out. 1611352
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 18/01/2025"As a photographer interested in the quiet power held within the lives of everyday people, I wanted to see beyond the studies and statistics of [MLK] thoroughfares." See photos from Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Orlando, and DC" www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-... @i-name.bsky.socialsmithsonianmag.comThese 15 Photos Show the People and Places of American Streets Named After Martin Luther King Jr.On a journey to six cities across the country over the course of seven years, a photographer captured images of the roads that bear the civil rights leader’s name 021
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionUTK Geography & Sustainability @utkgeography.bsky.social · 14/01/2025Professor Derek Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social provides insight on the connections between place names, identity, and power in response to suggestions that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed. 👉 Read the article from the Washington Times: www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/ja...washingtontimes.comWhose gulf is it anyway? Mexico has a longer shoreline, but policing is all AmericanPresident-elect Donald Trump’s demand that Gulf of Mexico get a new, more American has sparked a feverish debate over who gets to name geography and when it should be changed. 053
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionCNN @cnn.com · 13/01/2025Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, has voiced strong opposition to removing the names of Confederate generals from US military bases, repeatedly saying the names should be changed back: cnn.it/3WiuMXMcnn.comDefense pick Pete Hegseth repeatedly criticized removing names of Confederate generals from US bases | CNN PoliticsPete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, has voiced strong opposition to removing the names of Confederate generals from US military bases, repeatedly saying the nam... 7015744
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 09/01/2025Place names may seem simple, but they carry deep meaning & controversy. Renaming Gulf of Mexico to 'Gulf of America' could spark global tension, significant costs & nationalist worldview. Is it worth it? Thanks @eenews.bsky.social for chance to contribute www.eenews.net/articles/how...eenews.netHow Trump could get his ‘Gulf of America’The president-elect could spur a name change. The world could ignore it. 011
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 30/12/2024NYC Audubon Picks New Name (Bird Alliance), Distancing from Audubon's Harmful Views & Actions Toward BIPOC. Org says: "That harm continues today, presenting a barrier to people who might otherwise become involved in or support our work.” @i-name.bsky.social www.msn.com/en-us/money/...msn.comMSN 021
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 29/12/2024Scranton GOP rally calls to remove Biden's name from local roads following his commutation of Michael Conahan's sentence—the danger of naming places for living figures. People's legacies are fluid and impacted by future controversial actions & public backlash www.citizensvoice.com/2024/12/28/r...citizensvoice.comResidents call for renaming of President Biden Expressway, Biden StreetSCRANTON – Lackawanna and Luzerne County Republicans rallied on Courthouse Square Saturday with a message for government officials, “Get Joe Biden’s name off our local roadways.&#… 062
I-NAME Coalition @i-name.bsky.social · 23/12/2024www.adn.com/politics/202...adn.comTrump wants to change the name of Denali back to Mount McKinleyAlaska’s two Republican U.S. senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, immediately pushed back, saying they support the Koyukon Athabascan place name for the mountain long favored by many Alaskans. 032
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 17/12/2024"The current gender gap in street names is staggering....[C]all upon the toponymy commissions of our cities to take...action to ensure underrepresented figures and their invaluable contributions are acknowledged in our urban space.” bigthink.com/strange-maps...bigthink.comThe most popular person in European street names is a womanCan you guess who it is? Collectively, however, streets named after men outnumber those named after women ten to one. 051
Reposted by I-NAME CoalitionDerek H. Alderman @derekgeographer.bsky.social · 27/11/2024Kitimat council rejected Haisla Nation's request to rename streets honoring missionaries associated with residential school history. Haisla framed renaming as a step toward recognition and healing and proposed new names reflective of tribal traditions. www.northernsentinel.com/local-news/k...northernsentinel.comKitimat council rejects Haisla Nation’s request to rename streetsPitzel alleges Haisla chief issued warning over ties if renaming rejected 021