Nature, Place and Word Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
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.
German
"borderline"
Edgy German capital with definite possibilities as a baby name.
Italian place-name
Verona is a scenic place-name with the added attraction of a Shakespearean connection, as in Two Gentlemen of ....
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.
"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.
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…
Creek
"old town"
Unlike many other western city names, Tulsa has not proved attractive to parents. The name derives from Tallasi, meaning "old town" in the Creek language.
English
"hilly land, from the cliff"
A presidential and place-name that's not a stand-out in either category.
French place-name
What with Mason scooting up the charts, this attractive place-name, with its thick Georgia accent, could make a more distinctive alternative. Macon has played major roles in two novels, Anne Tyler's…
English place name
Lexington is rising as a place name used just about evenly for the genders. For Americans, it's got a patriotic ring, given the importance of Lexington, Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War.…
This is the Italian way to say Venice -- Ven-ETZ-ee-a -- but you might also opt for the softer Venetia or Venice itself.
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…
Miami -- or Florida, for that matter -- hasn't achieved the place-name stardom of southern sisters like Savannah and Georgia. Quincy Jones used it as his daughter KENYA's middle name.
English, feminine variation of Albert
"noble, bright"
This jazzy old name could make a comeback, the way Josephine and Ella have. In England the name was popularized by Queen Victoria's daughter Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, after whom her governor…
"valley"
Aspen's sibling.
American place name from Greek
"Atlantic Ocean"
The capital of Georgia is far from the ocean, but got its name from the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran through the city. Best known as a hub of industry and transport, and for its roles in…
Canadian place name
A familiar Canadian city name that could easily translate to use as a baby name. Cal and Callie are potential nickname options.
Latin place-name, Spanish, Italian, Croatian
"palm"
Palma is an appealing Latin name that's both geographical and botanical, referring to the sunny and culturally rich capital of Majorca and to the foliage of a palm tree. As the word for "palm" in…
One of the newer geographical site names, it has the advantage of sounding like a real girl's name because of its jen beginning and feminine a ending.
