Rare Place Names for Babies

The name of the capital city of the Philippines is just conceivable as a baby name, giving off the faint scent of vanilla.

Not yet on the place-name map, this name has Shakespearean ties via the Duke Of Albany character in King Lear.

Pronounced Bah-hah, this name of the Mexican peninsula attached to California makes for an out-of-the-ordinary possibility.

A quirky habitational surname, Kilby is a town in Leicestershire in England. Derived from Old English and Old Norse, it could mean "child's settlement" from the elements cilda and by. Though it is rare as a given name, it has been borne by ice hockey player Kilby MacDonald and by folk musician Kilby Snow.

Austria is an nteresting, appealing, unexplored geographic destination, much fresher than American cousin Austin.

Rhythmic name with both religious and geographical ties, commonly heard in Latin countries.

Colombia is a South American country name, with a rhythmic sound and peaceful connotations. The Irish Colm, Scottish Callum, and Columba are all attractive relatives of Colombia (or Columbia, if you're thinking of the college).

With Galway and Ireland in play as names (not to mention Shannon and Kerry), there's no reason this one can't work, too.

Consider ODESSA instead.

Some parents are turning to rivers and other bodies of water in the search for undiscovered place-names, and this has the feel of a Viennese waltz.

A beautiful and evocative place-name that deserves wider use.

Japanese city name not yet on the map for babies, but why not?

The vowel ending tilts this sharply toward the feminine, and at this point Havana still has some political implications as well.

Popular etymology derives this West African country's name from the Wolof words sunu gal, "our canoe". It's an appealing image, of a nation of people all in the same boat. Some country names have taken off as baby names, but this one, not yet.

Talin is a small town in Armenia with a big history: first settled around four thousand years ago, the town is renowned for the Cathedral of Talin, built in the 7th century. As a name, Talin is common in Armenian diaspora communities, aided by its sleek sound and the cute nickname Tali.

You may be surprised to learn 73 girls have been named Sweden since the 2000s. Appearing sporadically in the US name stats over the last twenty years, the name derives from the Old Norse Svíar which may come from an even older word meaning "one's own tribe".

An unusual place, Lausanne is a hilly city on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Its name comes from the Latin Lausanna, ultimately from a Proto Celtic word meaning "slab" though other sources suggest it could mean "place where one dines".

Son of Sicily.

In Greek mythology, Zakynthos was a legendary figure who founded a colony on an island in the Ionian sea. The island, still known as Zakynthos today, is now a popular tourist destination thanks to its warm weather, white cliffs, and stunning beaches. To the Venetians who ruled the island between the 15th and 18th century, it was known as the "Flower of Levant". Zakynthos may also be written as Zacynthus, and the island is also called Zante.

Likable Irish surname name, but bound to be confused with Clooney.