Nature, Place and Word Names · Unisex Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 37 pages
of 37
French
"faith"
Foppish name with a distinguished forebear, French general Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolution. It accounts for the L in L. Ron Hubbard. Old-time short form: Fayette or Fate.
Roswell is a masculine name with English origins, derived from an Old English surname that combines 'rose' (the flower) and 'well' (a spring or water source). The name gained some recognition in the…
Persian place name
Now deeply associated with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, Lazuli is derived from one of the places where the stone was first mined. The word Lazuli is the root for words like azure. Lapis Lazuli is a…
English place name
A distinguished-sounding place name with a cool, positive "win" sound. The original Winchester was the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex.
Kazakh, Turkic
"golden mountain"
Bright, golden, and rugged, Altai is the name of a mountain range that runs through Central Asia, spanning across Russia, Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan. Also written as Altai (with the dotted i),…
Place name, various meanings
Most Africas today would be named for the continent, but the name actually existed in Scotland in medieval times, where there was a Celtic queen named Affrica. Africa has also been a Spanish name for…
English
"hill peninsula"
Gentle and southern-inflected, redolent of the North Carolina landscape.
Native American place name
Chenoa is the Native American name for the Kentucky River. This name has come into prominence as the stage name of Argentine singer María Laura Corradini Falomir. In the US it is given to a handful…
Place-name
Long before the current place-name craze, a pair of the more daring pop singers of the Age of Aquarius picked this name for their daughters. Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick used the conventional…
The site of Napoleon's exile became the great-great-aunt in the purple hat.
Place name
"city of the ancient god Shalem"
Transferred from the geographical name, Jerusalem is a sacred city in many religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is given to around a dozen babies of each sex per year…
"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.
Spanish place name
Triana is a Top 50 girls' name in Spain largely unknown and unused in the US: Only 10 baby girls in the US were given the name in 2017. Also a surname, Triana is the name of a distinctive…
"valley"
Aspen's sibling.
English habitational surname, place name
"noble's town"
With Arley, Arlo, Remington, and Kensington on the rise, Arlington might also start to appeal. The surname style name could make a patriotic choice for those in the US, evoking Arlington National…
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…
"muddy waters"
This Central American place-name would make a unique alternative to Bella or Belle. The name Belize comes from the Mayan word Balix, meaning "muddy waters" — a reference to the Belize River.
Brittany is firmly a mom name today, but Britain could easily be her daughter. The Britton spelling variation is more common for both genders.
Scottish place name
"ridged island"
Arran Island (not to be confused with the Aran Islands in Ireland) is a large island in Scotland's Firth (or bay) of Clyde. An attractive name, long popular in Scotland, but may be confused with the…
