Nature, Place and Word Names · Unisex Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 37 pages
of 37
Place-name
An actual Hawaiian first name would convey the aura of the islands more originally and effectively.
Proto-Polynesian place name
"place of the gods"
Evocative of the lush islands, Hawaii is a place name that will transport you — at least in spirit.
Hebrew
"to dance"
Old Testament male name and biblical place name.
The vowel ending tilts this sharply toward the feminine, and at this point Havana still has some political implications as well.
African place-name
Unlikely to take over Kenya's spot as the dominant African place-name.
Country name
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…
Spanish place-name
This legendary Andalusian city, according to myth founded by Hercules, is an undiscovered baby name destination.
Spanish from Phoenician
"plain, valley"
A rare and evocative place name for a girl. Seville is the capital of Andalusia, an autonomous community in Spain. The Spanish name, Sevilla, derived from the Phoenician word sefela , meaning "plain"…
Hebrew, short variation of Bathsheba
"daughter of an oath"
This biblical place-name for the region now known as Yemen started to feel fresh again as the name of the heroine of Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal , played on screen by Cate Blanchett. Sheba is…
Native American place-name
While some sources assign the place-name the romantic meaning "beautiful daughter of the stars," the Virginia region itself says the name is of uncertain Native American origin with many possible but…
Hawaiian
"crescent bay or garland valley"
An appealing Hawaiian name which belongs to a town, river and bay on Kauaʻi island in Hawaii. The two possible meanings of the name, "crescent bay" or "garland (lei) valley" both describe the beauty…
If you want to honor your grandfather Hal but can't work up much enthusiasm for his full name Harold, consider the more stylish (if a bit pretentious) capital of Nova Scotia.
Israeli place name and Hebrew
"fruit or glory"
A Hebrew name also used for girls, with many variations to choose from. Hadara is another version. The name is associated with the holiday of Sukkot.
The name of an island in the English Channel that might make an attractive first name, but would work better for a boy.
Grenada functions as a feminine name borrowed from geography, referring to the Caribbean island nation. While primarily recognized as a place name, it occasionally appears as a given name,…
Moorish region and city in Spain that makes a melodic and unusual first name.
Place name
A pretty private park in Manhattan, doesn't quite make it as a baby name.
English
"land of grace"
More distinctive than Grace and more creative than Presley, Graceland is a contemporary name that could catch on with parents searching for a unique honorific. Graceland is famously the name of Elvis…
Scottish place-name
An undiscovered place-name with an appealing o-sound ending.
place name
Both Soho and Noho--no-no.
