Nature, Place and Word Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 3 pages
of 3
English
"son of Jack"
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…
Place-name
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…
Diminutive of Talia
"gentle dew from heaven"
Nickname sometimes heard on its own, sort of an updated Sally and playmate of Hallie.
Scottish place name
Not yet on the place-name map, this name has Shakespearean ties via the Duke Of Albany character in King Lear .
"divine protection or care"
A Puritanical virtue name and also a place name, belonging to the state capital of Rhode Island and several other towns and cities in the US.
American place name from Greek
"Atlantic Ocean"
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…
A capital place-name possibility.
Dutch and English surname
"son of Lans; family of Wlanc"
Lansing is perhaps best known as the state capital of Michigan, which was named after the town of Lansing, New York. The original Lansing was named in honor of John Lansing Jr., a Chancellor of New…
Spanish
"faith"
Relatively popular in Spain until the middle of the 20th century, this sweet and lively Spanish virtue name is also a Marian name, short for María de Fe. In Galician, it is sometimes also short for…
British place-name
Two-syllable place-names are stylish, and this one is attached to a British city noted for its white chalk cliffs, but there are a couple of minuses: associated with the fish, Dover sole, and also…
Word name
"harmony, peaceful coexistence"
With its ties to tranquil Walden Pond, and harmonious meaning, this could be a modern virtue name. It may also make people think of Concorde, the supersonic airliner plane, retired back in 2003.
Variation of Columbo or Columbia, Latin
"dove"
This is a big name, both in heritage and sound. On the right child, this could be inspired, but others may shrink from all the connotations. While your preferred nickname for this option might be Col…
Latin
"land of Columbus"
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…
Sioux
"people of a different language"
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.
Place name from Kansa
"place of potatoes"
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".
