Names That Mean Land

Ballet dancer Misty Copeland may draw more parents to consider her surname for a baby girl — which at last count was 29% female.

More distinctive than Grace and more creative than Presley, Graceland is a contemporary name that could catch on with parents searching for a unique honorific.

A surname with a lot of "juice," as they say, in Hollywood. In addition to veteran character actor Oliver Platt, there's La La Land producer Marc Platt and his actor son, Ben Platt, who won a Tony for Best Actor as the star of Broadway smash Dear Evan Hansen.

Also spelled Illtud or Eltut, his was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded the abbey of Llanilltud in Glamorgan. Illtyd Harrington was a British politician. The Welsh LL is pronounced like a palatalized TH sound in English.

The Anglophile Howard.

Referring to the ancient region of Nairi and its breathtaking landscape, Nayiri is a gender-neutral name in Armenia.

Perhaps to honor an ancestral Abraham, but presents a confusing image.

This unisex Arabic name is most frequently used for baby boys in the US, although a significant number of girls are named Rayan each year as well. The emphasis belongs on the second syllable.

There are two lovely Portlands, in Maine and Oregon, but not many babies with their name.

Although Kyleena has a pleasant sound, it's a baby name best to avoid — Kyleena is the trade name of an IUD.

Identical in sound to Lonzo, although the names have different origins. Lanzo is a Germanic root meaning "land," and the source of names such as Lance and Lansing.

Columbia is a rarely used name with many associations. From the eighteenth century it has been used as a female personification of the United States, often appearing as a flag-draped patriotic figure. And as such it's inspired a plethora of place and company names, from the District of Columbia to Columbia University to Columbia Records, and songs like "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean." A character called Columbia appears in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

A fun, unexpected way to honor your home state or a Mary in your life. As geographical girl names such as Ireland, Scotland, and Oakland slowly rise up the charts, Maryland could be a future favorite.

A place and surname turned first name, as in aviator Cortlandt F. Bishop and four-star general Cortlandt V. R. Schuyler. Cortlandt was a village near modern-day Wijk bij Duurstede, Netherlands. Its name was derived from the Dutch elements cort, meaning "short" or "narrow," and landt, "land."

The Japanese word for the land of the dead. It's not quite Heaven nor Hell, although it more closely resembles the latter. It's also the name of a video game, which is likely why five baby girls were named Yomi one recent year.

Modern, feminine form of the rustic, boyish name Harlan. With the popularity of Harley and Harlow in recent years, it is no surprise that Harlyn on the rise too. The name Harlyn was given to 134 baby girls in 2022.

Fashion icon and Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland adds an air of glamour to her distinctive Dutch surname. It would make a striking name for the daughter of a parent in the fashion industry.