International Baby Names · Nature, Place and Word Names
American Place Names
Across 11 pages
of 11
Montgomery
Norman
"man power"
This image of this distinguished Anglo-Scottish surname, drawn from the French place name of the ancient castle of Saint Foi de Montgomery, is rapidly shifting from fusty and formal to cool. And…
Bexley
English place-name
The name of an affluent suburb of Columbus, Ohio and a section of Greater London, Bexley is increasingly being coopted by parents looking for a novel name in the Kinsley/AInsley/Paisley family.…
Harlem
Place-name
"home on a forested dune"
With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem is one to watch out for. It has lingered down the lower end of the US Top 1000 since 2018 but has been trending upwards. It's already been…
Berkeley
English
"where birches grow"
Despite the strong association with the University of California, Berkeley, the more common version of this name omits the second E, Berkley. Beware if you travel across the pond — Berkeley is…
Bergen
Germanic, Scandinavian
"lives on a hill; mountain region"
A Norwegian city name, heard much more often as a last name than a first, Bergen may nevertheless appeal as an alternative to Brogan, Keegan, Summit, or Brooks. Strong and rugged, it was given to 8…
Amerie
Modern invented name
Pop princess Amerie is half Korean, half African-American. Her name may relate to Amelia, Emily, Emery, or Amory, though there's no exact equivalent among historical names. But doubtless there will…
Bergen
Germanic, Scandinavian
"lives on a hill; mountain"
Norwegian city name, Bergen is a strong, rugged choice, that may feel stylish in that surname-or-city-inspired way of Brogan and Brooklyn, London and Bristol, Bexley and Reagan. Used originally to…
Baltimore
Place name, English from Irish
"town of the big house"
With place names extending their range, this is an unmapped possibility, though a bit stiff. Baltimore, Maryland was named after Cecil Calvert, the 2nd Baron Baltimore. Baltimore is ultimately…
America
Place-name
Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to…
Alameda
Spanish
"cottonwood grove"
Common California place-name that could work for a girl.
Colorado
Spanish place name
"colored red"
One of the unisex western names that rode in with Dakota and Montana.
Cleveland
English
"hilly land, from the cliff"
A presidential and place-name that's not a stand-out in either category.
Cimarron
Spanish, English
"wild, untamed"
Cimarron is a Great Plains city and river name used by Edna Ferber as the title of a popular novel. The Cimarron people of Panama were previously enslaved Africans who had escaped from their Spanish…
Austin
English, shortened version of Augustine, Latin
"great, magnificent"
More often used as a boys' name, parents have also been choosing Austin for their little girls - as the 176 female Austins born in the US in 2022 demonstrate. May we suggest the literary version…
Colorado
Spanish place-name
"colored red"
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.
Columbia
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…
Columbus
Variation of Columbo or Columbia, Latin
"dove"
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…
Concord
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.
Chicago
American place name, Algonquin
"wild garlic"
When Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named their daughter Chicago — after West's hometown — we expected it to rise for baby girls. But American parents have taken to Chicago as a boy name. It's been…
Chicago
American place name, Algonquin
"wild garlic"
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have done it again for their third child: Chosen a name that feels iconic yet strangely inevitable. They named North and Saint's younger sister Chicago, after Kanye's…