Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
French
"from Giverny"
Arty and unexpected, Giverny is a French place name, associated with Claude Monet and Impressionist art more generally. Located in the north of France, Monet put Giverny on the map when he moved to…
Old English, place name
"swan stream, swan river, swan island"
This Old English name feels as if it could have stepped out of a fantasy novel, but it may be just similar enough to Everett and Elliot that it could work in the real world. Derived from the elements…
Greek, place name
"island belonging to Circe; belonging to the bird"
Also spelled as Aeaea or Ææa, this is the name of a mythological Greek island, home to the goddess and sorceress Circe. It appears in Homer's The Odyssey , with Odysseus staying there for a year on…
Ojibwe, place name
"red ochre lake"
The name of a lake and city in Minnesota, US, Onamia has its roots in the Indigenous Ojibwe language. Originally called Onamanii-zaaga'iganiing , the name means "red ochre lake" or "vermillion lake".…
English, French, place name
"gold"
An interesting and as yet undiscovered place name, Orleans feels similar to the likes of Harlem, Memphis, and Oslo. The English form of the French Orléans, it ultimately derives from the Latin…
French, place name
"sea spray"
An unusual place name with a sea-inspired meaning, Embrun is a commune in the southeast of France, as well as a town in Ontario, Canada. Sometimes known as the "Nice of the Alpes", Embrun could get…
Italian place name, Latin
"tower"
While Tosca, taken from Toscana, the Italian name for the region, is better established as a name, Tuscany has seen sporadic usage since the 2000s. Sunny and intriguing, Tuscany is associated with…
Place name, Algonquin
"to trade"
The capital city of Canada makes an unusual name for a baby, though it was recently used by nutrition and fitness Instagrammer, Kaleigh Kellner. The Canadian city ultimately gets it name from adawe…
Welsh
"in the currents"
The traditional Welsh name for Bardsey Island, located off the coast of North West Wales, Enlli is an short, sleek choice, given to a small number of girls most years in Wales. With the cool,…
Place-name; Choctaw
"vegetation gatherers"
Alabama is a hot southern place-name, picking up from Georgia and Savannah. This is not a geographical name come lately, though--there have been girls named Alabama dating back well over a century.…
French place-name
"province"
One of the most picturesque and enchanting areas of France could become a distinctive baby name. Provence Maydew is a Canadian actress.
Place-name, Spanish
"poplar tree"
The unique O-ending makes this name memorable, especially for someone with ties to Texas.
European place-name
Andorra is the pretty name of a pocket-sized princedom in the Pyrenees, noted for its skiing.
French place name
If you're looking for a really untouristed place name, Aquitaine could be it. Aquitaine is a region of France that includes both Bordeaux and Biarritz and is famous for such food and drink as its…
Place name from Greek
A phonetically attractive place-name that can be used for babies but rarely is.
Spanish place name
Equally strong, dramatic and romantic, this name of an old kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula and a modern Spanish community as well, would give a boy an instant pedigree.
Latin
"silver"
South America provides a continent of interesting, undiscovered names -- Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and the tango-rhythmed Argentina.
Faroese, Icelandic, from Old Norse, "fire, torch, sword"
"fire, torch, sword"
The Faroese and Icelandic form of the Old Norse Brandr, as well as the name of a small island in Iceland. Namesakes include Faroese footballer Brandur Olsen and singer Brandur Enni.
Scottish place name
"elm or blaze"
Lomond is one of those names that exists mainly in one place in the world, Scotland, thanks to its famous Loch Lomond (with its bonnie bonnie banks). Lomond ranks among the Top 1000 baby names for…
Italian place-name
This lovely Umbrian hill town became a striking first name for the young daughter of Jade Jagger.
