Strictly, "Lake Nasser" refers only to the much larger portion of the lake that is in Egyptian territory (83% of the total), with the Sudanese preferring to call their smaller body of water Lake Nubia (Egyptian Arabic: بحيرة النوبة‎ Boħēret Nubeyya, ).
Strengt taget er "Lake Nasser" kun den store del af søen, som er egyptisk territorium (83 % af hele søen), idet sudaneserne foretrækker at kalde deres lille del for Lake Nubia.