Weaponising names

The world of nomenclature, usually a sedate affair of committees and consensus, has found itself on a rather exhilarating rollercoaster ride lately, courtesy of a certain President Donald Trump. Take, for instance, his bold declaration that the Gulf of Mexico should henceforth be known as the ‘Gulf of America‘. Because, you know, it just sounds more... American.

- SHASHI THAROOR

This particular geographical rebrand, enshrined (at least in spirit) through Executive Order 14172, “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness”, sent cartographers into a mild existential crisis and had search engines frantically debating whether to accept the old or the new. It even sparked a minor international incident with the Associated Press, which, in a rare display of journalistic defiance, stated it would continue to refer to the body of water as the ‘Gulf of Mexico,’ leading to a petulant cutback in their White House access. Apparently, some names just aren’t up for debate in the world’s oldest democracy.