International Baby Names · Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 12 pages
of 12
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…
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.…
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…
Spanish place-name
"mountainous"
Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.
English, place-name
"Trent's town"
There's only one Trenton, New Jersey, but it's a widely used name, more for its fashionable -on ending than the reference to the city. Since 2007, however, Trenton has been on a steady decline.…
English
"spearman"
When Gary cracked the Top 10 in 1950, it was one of the first nonclassic boys’ names to do so, largely due to Gary (born Frank) Cooper, who was renamed after Gary, Indiana, his agent's hometown. Now,…
Wyoming place-name, French
"canopy of leafy boughs"
Laramie was derived from the French word la ramée , meaning "leafy canopy." It was historically a French surname, but today it is a viable first name option for girls or boys. The balance is…
English, variation of Deighton
"place with a dike"
If Dayton, like Trenton and Camden, is finding favor with parents, it's more because of its popular two-syllable surname feel and -on ending than the industrial city in Ohio.
Place name
Rockers Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz put a new baby name on the map when they chose this downscale New York borough name for their son. The Bronx, the place, was named for early Dutch settler Jonas…
American nature name or place name
"oak land"
Oakland is a place name associated mainly with the city near San Francisco, pretty obviously meaning "oak land". Theoretically unisex but used mainly for boys, Oakland is one of a trending group of…
French variation of Peter
"rock, stone"
One of the most familiar — if not stereotypical — Gallic names. Pierre was a Top 5 name in France from the 19th century through 1940 and is now on a steady decline in its native land. In the US,…
Dutch place-name
"wooded land"
Holland, like most place names, is intrinsically gender neutral, but in practice today it's mostly female. There's about one boy Holland born in the US these days for every five girl Hollands. That's…
English place name, Old Norse
"Geirr's island"
An established place name, associated with a sunny island in the English Channel, the Garden State in the US, knitted pullovers, reality TV, and a Broadway musical. It peaked in the late 2000s and…
"home settlement"
Names of classy places -- Aspen, Paris, and now, Hampton -- are in favor with aspiring parents. Associated with a stylish area of New York and with the stately Hampton Court Palace in the UK, the…
With Brooklyn, Trenton, and Camden on the rise, Harlem can't be far behind. It's already been picked by one celebrity, and it certainly has a strong historical and cultural identity -- not to mention…
Greek and Coptic place-name
"Enduring and beautiful"
Tied to the bluesy southern city and to the world heritage cite in Egypt after which it was named, Memphis is a modern choice with ancient history. Currently significantly more popular for boys in…
Spanish place-name; "mountainous"
Relaxed western place-name that still has some masculine punch, but be warned: this whole posse of similarly trendy names, like Sierra and Dakota, will soon ride toward the sunset.
"quince plant; like Sidon"
Sedona is an Arizona city name renowned for its beauty and tranquillity and easily could translate into an agreeable baby name, along the lines of Siena, Sierra, Astoria, and Sidony. The city itself…
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…
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…
