International Baby Names · Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 12 pages
of 12
Place-name, nickname for state of Texas resident
Despite its rakish western charm, still remains a cowboy costume without a real persona inside.
Place-name and Native American
"the great one"
Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. There were 20 boys and 55 girls given the name in…
Spanish place-name
"covered in snow"
Named for its snowcapped mountains, Nevada is a state name which, unlike Carolina, Montana, and Dakota, has been relatively undiscovered. Warning: today's unvisited place-name could become tomorrow's…
Scottish surname or compound name
"barren heath, bare promontory; dark rose; honey rose"
Traditionally a Scottish surname, referring to a barren heath, a bare promontory, or headland, Melrose could also be viewed as a mashup of Melanie, Melissa and Rose, as in the case of model and…
Alutiiq, Native American
"island"
It's a bear, it's an island, it's (almost) a camera. It's starting to catch some parents' eyes as a wild, adventurous name. The largest proportion of boys named Kodiak is in Washington State.
Spanish, Thai
"table; April"
Mesa is both the term for a flat-topped mountain, derived from the Spanish word for "table", and the Thai variation of April.
Place-name
Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
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…
Native American
"where the mountain meets the sea"
Used for a free-spirited character on a 1990s sitcom, this name of a beautiful Southern California canyon does have an unconventional aura.
Greek
"idyllic place"
Acadia, the French name for Nova Scotia and the name of a gorgeous national park in Maine makes a fresh, rhythmic choice for your little girl. Acadia is an original yet accessible member of the…
Hebrew
"garden"
Carmel is a biblical place-name that is often used by Catholic parents around the world. It is given in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is the name of a mountain ridge on the Mediterranean near…
After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block, complete with old-school Western nickname, Tex. Quietly used as a name since at least the late 19th-century, Texas was given to around…
Hawaiian, Polynesian mythology
The name of the second-biggest (and third-most populous) island in Hawaii was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017. A major factor was surely Dwayne Johnson's character in Moana , the…
Italian place-name
This name of one of the most romantic cities in the world could easily find its way onto an American baby girl's birth certificate.
Ventureño Chumash, Native American
"the surf sounds loudly"
Malibu, the name of a California beach city, evokes sunshine, surfing, and glamour. With its fashionable "oo" sound — as seen in names like Luna and Ruby — Malibu is an unexplored place name worth…
Wyoming place-name, French
"canopy of leafy boughs"
Swaggering western place-name with a lot of cowboy bravado and panache.
German
"powerful protector"
Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia, US, and a town in London, UK — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.
English habitational surname, place name
"the noble's town"
Similar in sound to Arlo, Remington, and Arthur, this surname style and place name could make a patriotic choice in the US, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetery. Given to 7 girls and…
Juneau, the name of the city in Alaska, has rightfully taken a back seat as a name to the classic Juno. Most famous reference: When the pregnant teenager is introduced in the movie "Juno," the…
English place name
Lexington is trending as a unisex name, used just about evenly for the genders. For Americans, it's got a patriotic feel, given the importance of Lexington, Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War.…
