American Place Names

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.

The name of a town in North Carolina, Ellerbe is derived from the Old English surname Elwordebi, meaning "Aelfweard's farmstead". Contracted and altered overtime, it appears in various forms, including Elleby, Ellerby, Elerbie, and more.

The name of a town in North Carolina, Ellerbe is derived from the Old English surname Elwordebi, meaning "Aelfweard's farmstead". Contracted and altered overtime, it appears in various forms, including Elleby, Ellerby, Elerbie, and more.

As far as Texas place names go, Houston is more unique than Austin and Dallas and more attractive than Marfa.

An actual Hawaiian first name would convey the aura of the islands more originally and effectively.

Long synonymous with the American outlaw Harry Longabaugh, aka The Sundance Kid, who got his nickname from the town of Sundance, Wyoming, where he was incarcerated as a teenager. The place name Sundance was taken from the sun dance ceremony practiced by local Native American tribes.

The name of the capital city of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, which is thought to come from a Kansa word meaning "good place to grow potatoes".

The name of cities in Mexico and Colorado, Durango is a pleasant, fresh option from the atlas.

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.

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."

A unique natural-wonder option, conjuring up the beauty of the lake between California and Nevada that has become a popular tourist destination.

If you live in the city, you might call your urban baby Urbana; if you live in the suburbs--don't even think of Surbana.

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

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!

While Maui was a male trickster god in Polynesian mythology, the well-known Hawaiian place name Maui can work for either gender.

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.

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

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

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

One of the unisex western names that rode in with Dakota and Montana.