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State Capital Baby Names

  1. Phoenix

    • Origin:

      Arizona place name and Greek

    • Meaning:

      "dark red"

    • Description:

      Phoenix is a New Age name symbolizing rebirth and immortality. It's also a place name, a color name, a mythological name, AND an animal name, combining several of today's hottest trends in one appealing package.
  2. Lincoln

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "town by the pool"

    • Description:

      Lincoln might be considered one of the quintessential American names, calling to mind the great president who freed enslaved people and is memorialized in Washington.
  3. Cheyenne

    • Origin:

      Sioux

    • Meaning:

      "people of a different language"

    • Description:

      The name of a courageous tribe, Cheyenne became quite popular in the 1990s, inspiring a wide range of spelling variations—Shyanne is one example that's still on the rise.
  4. Indiana

    • Origin:

      American place-name

    • Meaning:

      "land of the Indians"

    • Description:

      Indiana is one of those place-names (think Camden and Trenton) that sounds cooler than the place that inspired it. Its fashionable -ana ending certainly sounds eminently name-like, and Indie/Indy/Indi is one of the hottest nickname names for girls right now.
  5. Jackson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Jack"

    • Description:

      No, Jackson is not the latest crazy name the girls are stealing from the boys. Oddly enough, Jackson was given to MORE girls a decade ago than it was last year, probably as a family name or as a tribute to the musicians. But Jackson's extreme popularity as a boys' name has probably made it feel less possible for girls.
  6. Denver

    • Origin:

      English or French place-name and surname

    • Meaning:

      "from Anvers"

    • Description:

      Before there was Aspen, Denver was the Colorado city name of choice, and it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after a 14 year absence as a stylish two-syllable boys’ name with its trendy -er ending. Its decade of greatest use was the 1920s, when it reached as high as Number 422.
  7. Juneau

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Juneau, the name of the city in Alaska, has rightfully taken a back seat as a name to the classic Juno. Most famous reference: When the pregnant teenager is introduced in the movie "Juno," the prospective adoptive father says, "Oh, like the city in Alaska." Juno takes a deep breath and then says simply, "No."
  8. Boston

    • Description:

      Boston as a feminine name represents the growing trend of using place names for children. Originally known primarily as the Massachusetts city named after an English town (derived from 'Botolph's stone' or 'Botolph's town'), Boston has transitioned into personal use in recent decades. While more commonly given to boys, its use for girls has increased, especially since the early 2000s. The name carries associations with American history, intellectualism, and New England charm. Parents may choose Boston for girls as a modern-sounding geographical name that expresses connection to the city or appreciation for its cultural significance. Boston projects strength and distinction as a feminine name, appealing to those seeking contemporary naming options with recognizable roots.

  9. Carson

    • Origin:

      English and Scottish surname

    • Meaning:

      "son of the marsh dwellers"

    • Description:

      Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.
  10. Boston

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Unseen in the USA since 1901, Boston rocketed back into the Top 1000 in 2004 and, like other place-names such as Brooklyn, London and Paris, is now a reliable presence on the list.
  11. Jefferson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Jeffrey"

    • Description:

      The name of the third U.S. President sounds, like Harrison and Jackson, more modern and stylish now than its root name. Used as a first name long before our surname-crazed era, Jefferson was most famously used as a first name by the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, which may justifiably make you not want to use it. Jefferson is the middle name of another Prez, William Clinton.
  12. Raleigh

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow of roe deer"

    • Description:

      Attractive North Carolina place-name and surname of explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Distinctive, classy-but-approachable choice for either sex.
  13. Indiana

    • Origin:

      American place-name

    • Meaning:

      "land of the Indians"

    • Description:

      This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) makes Indiana "Indy" forever cool for a boy.
  14. Denver

    • Origin:

      English or French place-name and surname

    • Meaning:

      "green valley or from Anvers"

    • Description:

      Yet another creative character name from Toni Morrison, Denver was a daughter of Sethe's in the novel Beloved. Today Denver is most familiar as the name of the largest city in Colorado, used almost equally for girls and boys.
  15. Charleston

    • Origin:

      American place-name

    • Meaning:

      "Charles' town"

    • Description:

      Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used it for his daughter.
  16. Cheyenne

    • Origin:

      Sioux

    • Meaning:

      "people of a different language"

    • Description:

      This is a great American name that deserves more attention from parents looking for a name that balances a soft sound with a more traditionally masculine cowboy image.
  17. Atlanta

    • Origin:

      American place name from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "Atlantic Ocean"

    • Description:

      The capital of Georgia is far from the ocean, but got its name from the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran through the city. Best known as a hub of industry and transport, and for its roles in the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement, it has never been popular as a baby name despite sounding like one. Its peak popularity was in 1995, the year before Atlanta hosted the Olympic Games.

  18. Raleigh

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow of deer"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Talia

    • Meaning:

      "gentle dew from heaven"

    • Description:

      Nickname sometimes heard on its own, sort of an updated Sally and playmate of Hallie.
  20. Juneau

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Juneau could go either way as a name. The newfound fame of the movie heroine Juno knocks this unrelated though identical-sounding Alaskan name out of consideration for boys, for the moment. Though (male) writer Junot Diaz may put the sound-alike name back in the running for boys.