Nature, Place and Word Names · Unisex Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 37 pages
of 37
Irish
"from the meadow"
Likable Irish surname name, but bound to be confused with Clooney.
Hawaiian place-name
Visitors to Hawaii's Garden Isle may want to commemorate the island's beauty with this place-name.
Place-name and Latin
"dove"
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…
Spanish place name
"colored red"
One of the unisex western names that rode in with Dakota and Montana.
Spanish place-name
More unusual than Dakota or Austin, Colorado conjures images of majestic mountains and windswept wilderness. Some will prefer the more preppy Aspen, but Colorado feels like the true explorer.
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…
Variation of Columbo or Columbia, Latin
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…
Welsh place name / river name
An example of the Welsh love of naming children after rivers and places. Colwyn is rare in the States but has genuine appeal: no hidden spelling traps, and similar-yet-different to names like Colton,…
English place name, word name
"harmonious, peaceful coexistence"
Concord, Massachusetts is home to tranquil Walden Pond, and as a word name, concord has a harmonious meaning, making this a modern virtue name. It may also be associated with Concorde, the now…
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.
Place-name
"gather"
Not long ago, the name of this central African republic was firmly in place-name territory and not seen as baby appropriate. But those boundaries are moving so quickly that all kinds of place-names…
Place name, English from Irish, “the Conmhaícne of the sea”
Wild, lovely place in western Ireland makes wild, lovely name.
Place name, English from Latin, or Italian, Corsican surname
"from Corsica"
Corsica, the picturesque Mediterrean island birthplace of Napoleon, makes an easy switch from atlas to baby name book, with its delicate, feminine ending. Just don't consider neighboring island…
"abundant fertile land; great place"
Soul singer Cuba Gooding and his actor son of the same name put this unexpected geographical name on the map for boys, but it has a longer history of use than you might expect. Deriving from the…
Greek
"from the island of Cythera"
Cytherea, a place-name that is the home of Aphrodite, seems stuck in ancient Greece.
River name
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.
Literary name and place name
One five-letter name, a quick suffix away from David, with two very different connotations. It's the name of a posh ski resort in Switzerland that hosts the illustrious World Economic Forum --…
Greek place name
"of Delphi; womb"
An interesting unisex possibility, with an air of mystery connected to the Delphic Oracle, the most important oracle in ancient Greece; it was also a major site for the worship of the god Apollo.…
French
"little pretty one"
Juliet sound-alike Joliet actually derives from the name Jolie, and was historically a term of endearment, later a surname. It's an attractive alternative to Juliet names and could work to honor a…
Word name English from Norse
"park with deer"
Derby might be considered a word name or a surname-name. In England, it would be pronounced darby, causing confusion with that similar name.
