A similar story that came out around the time of the “Gulf of America“ debacle basically just said that the database they use for naming bodies of water had been updated, and therefore that carried through to Maps.

So it wasn’t really a decision one way or the other, it was a continuation of an existing policy of where names come from.

Woah hold on buddy, that take is way too reasonable for an internet forum!

They could just not do it. Nothing would happen. It's a little moronic that they act so hands off. I get it having a policy is nice for actual controversies between nations but one person wants this (who has probably never used Google Maps), it would be harmless for them to ignore it but instead they piss off half of one country and all of the other.

Complete lack of judgment from whoever made this change happen