Names That Mean Place
Across 17 pages
of 17
Amaia
Spanish or Basque
"high place or end"
This pretty and uncommon Basque name is all but unheard of in this country. Amaya is a spelling variation as well as a similar Japanese name meaning "night rain." With the newfound popularity of…
Houston
Scottish
"Hugh's town"
Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas? Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.
Ryland
Old English
"place where Rye is grown"
Similar to popular Riley and Ryan and the origin of Rylan, this Old English surname has been in the US Top 1000 since the early 2000s. While it has declined in recent years, it was still given to…
Kenai
Native American place name
"flat lands"
The name of the protagonist of Disney’s Brother Bear also has a geographical connection: the Kenai Peninsula and Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. With boy names like Kai and Levi at the top of…
Huxley
English
"inhospitable place"
Huxley is definitely rising as a surname name, with its X that makes almost any name cooler. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015. The modern nicknames Hux and Huck certainly don't hurt. Last year,…
Brixton
British place name
Brixton, a formerly rough but now cool-and-gentrified area of London, is also gaining notice as a baby name, especially for boys. About 20 baby girls were given the name in the US in the most recent…
Bethany
Biblical place name and Hebrew
"house of figs"
Bethany is a lyrical name that still strikes many parents as a fresher, more substantial substitute for the overused Brittany/Brittney or the more antiquated Beth. In the New Testament, Bethany is…
Milan
Italian place name or Slavic
"the middle of the plain; gracious, dear; union"
In many Slavic and other European countries, Milan is purely a boys’ name , but in the US, it's also popular for girls – no doubt inspired by the fashionable Italian city. It entered the Top 1000 for…
Belen
Spanish place name and form of Bethlehem, Hebrew, Turkish
"house of bread; mountainside"
A fast rising choice in the US, Belen is a name with two possible origins. On one hand, it could be a variation — or an anglicization — of Belén, the Spanish form of Bethlehem. This would make it a…
Aila
Finnish variation of Helga or Scottish Gaelic
"from the strong place"
Now that Isla Fisher has pushed her once-obscure name into the Top 150, some parents are looking for similar-sounding Scottish names for girls that are further off the beaten path. This one is…
Aspyn
Variation of Aspen, tree name and place name
Divorces Aspen from its nature and ski resort associations. Aspyn first broke into the Top 1000 in 2020.
Legacy
English word name
"the long-lasting impact of particular events that took place in the past"
One of the boastful, ultra-modern word names soaring in popularity right now. Though it's a bit more popular for girls than boys -- the "cy" ending reads a little feminine -- it's solidly unisex,…
Ainhoa
Basque place name
The name of the French town where a vision of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, this name is in the Spanish Top 100 and was, until recently, virtually unheard of elsewhere. Now however it is…
Brinsley
British place and surname
A rarely used Nottinghamshire place name of the sort now being considered for girls.
Barnett
English
"place cleared by burning"
Has some creative credibility via abstract painter Barnett Newman, but we'd prefer his nickname, Barney.
Barbossa
Portuguese surname
"a place with many palm trees"
Barbossa (also spelled Barbosa) is derived from the Barbosa palm. It is also a common place name, with towns called Barbossa spread across Latin America. Film buffs might also recall that Barbossa is…
Lupita
Spanish, “little wolf”
This lively pet name has recently been associated with Mexican-born Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o, acclaimed for her role in the 2013 film Twelve Years a Slave . The mother name Guadalupe, literally…
Brasilia
Portuguese place name
"land of brazilwood; ember-colored land"
The name of the 20th-century-created capital of Brazil has a good measure of Latin rhythm and could make a possible female choice, while Brazil might work for a boy.
Viveca
Swedish, Nordic
"alive, life; place of refuge"
This is one of the most vibrant and feminine of the names meaning life , and it's sure to gain more attention as the whole sisterhood of Viv- names rise. Celebrated Swedish actress Viveca Lindfors,…
Valletta
Maltese place name
Valletta is the capital city of Malta. It takes on an air of attractiveness via model Amber Valletta and could make an appealing alternative to the somewhat dated Valerie.