American Place Names

Rochester was Jack Benny's famous valet and sidekick, played by early African-American comic Eddie Anderson.

The evocative name of one of our most beautiful national parks -- yes, but also the bombastic cartoon character, Yosemite Sam.

An attractive North Carolina unisex place name, Raleigh's soft sound is particularly appropriate for a girl.

A city name that sounds more legit than most because of its similarity to Peyton and other such names in circulation.

Provo is the name of a conservative Utah city that's unlikely to be among the most fashionable place-names. You'd do better with Utah.

Even if you're a loyal alumnus, consider something less ultraupright, like Yale or Cal.

Norwegian city name heard much more often as a last name than a first.

Vail is an uncommon feminine name with multiple potential origins. Primarily recognized as a surname and place name, it derives from the Old French 'val' meaning 'valley.' The most famous reference is the Colorado ski resort town of Vail. As a given name, it has the appeal of being short, strong, and distinctive. Vail carries connotations of natural beauty and outdoor adventure due to its geographical associations. Though traditionally more common for boys, it has been occasionally used for girls, fitting with the trend of adopting surname and place names as feminine given names. Its rarity makes it an unconventional choice for parents seeking a name with natural undertones and brevity.

Unlike many other western city names, Tulsa has not proved attractive to parents. The name derives from Tallasi, meaning "old town" in the Creek language. Elvis Presley played a character named Tulsa in the 1960 musical comedy G. I. Blues.

Detroit, the name of the down-on-its-heels Michigan city, has a so-far-out-it's-gotta-be-cool quality. A handful of boys were named Detroit last year, and if you have ties to the Motor City -- familial or musical -- you may want to consider it, especially as a middle name.

A possibility for your li'l cowgirl.

Would make a difficult choice even for those with ties to the Virginia city or British county.

Miami -- or Florida, for that matter -- hasn't achieved the place-name stardom of southern sisters like Savannah and Georgia. Quincy Jones used it as his daughter KENYA's middle name.

Mesa is both the term for a flat-topped mountain, derived from the Spanish word for "table", and the Thai variation of April.

Zuma is a name that can appeal to almost anyone — just pick your association! There's former South African president Jacob Zuma, the Malibu beach, video game, and more. Children will associate it with the male Paw Patrol character — which may explain why Zuma is becoming more popular among dogs.

Visitors to Hawaii's Garden Isle may want to commemorate the island's beauty with this place-name.

Missouri, the name of a tribe, a state and a river, derives from the Illinois word mihsoori meaning "dugout canoe". It became a somewhat popular American girls' name in the mid-19th century.

Place-name mentioned in the New Testament and not yet on the name map. Philadelphia Thursday was the character played by Shirley Temple in John Ford's 1948 "Fort Apache."

American place and tribe name, derived via French from the Dakota word ayúxba "sleepy ones".

This name of the North Dakota city has been used for at least one female (we know, because she wrote to us) but it doesn't meet the Social Security's five-baby threshold to ever make it onto the official records for either sex. But it certainly can work as a first name as well as or even better than many place-names. After all, it rhymes with Margo!