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Topographical Names
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Marsh
English nature name
Soft and mellifluous nature-surname name, situated miles away from the dated Marshall.
Mesa
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.
Mountain
Nature name
Mountain names such as Everest and Denali are being used more frequently, but Mountain itself was unknown until Hunger Games star Jena Malone used it as a middle name for her son Ode Mountain. And…
Prairie
English nature name
"prairie"
Unspecific place name with a wonderfully wide-open, spacious, western feel; used for a character in Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland . Prairie is derived from the Old French word praierie , which…
Reef
Word name
"ridge of rock or coral on sea floor"
Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers. Although Reef remains well outside of the US Top 1000, it has charted…
Savanna
Variation of Savannah
Savanna has lost ground in recent years. It remains eclipsed by its more traditionally spelled cousin Savannah.
Valley
English word name
"low area of land between hills and mountains"
An evocative word name, conjuring up images of the beautiful low land between hills and mountains, and the streams and rivers that often run through them, Valley has the advantage of also sounding…
Wood
English word name
Actor Wood Harris, best known for his role as Avon Barksdale in The Wire , brought this one into the lexicon. Wood is Harris's nickname -- his real name is Sherwin David -- but it's the name he's…
Dell
English
"shaded valley"
A sweet and simple nature name that could also be short for the surname name Odell, the vintage name Della, or the obscure saint's name Endellion.
Ravine
Nature name
"chasm, gulley"
A dramatic nature name which calls to mind wild rocky landscapes and mountaineering.
Quarry
Nature name
Has the offbeat quality and macho feel -- like Stone and Flint -- that appeals to increasing numbers of modern parents.
Tundra
Geographical name
With geographical features like Savannah and Sierra and increasingly getting the baby-name treatment, could icy Tundra also see some use? It's only appeared six times on the Social Security rankings,…
Arete
Greek
"virtue"
Arete is a minor goddess in Greek mythology who personifies the idea of excellence or perfect virtue. There is also a mythological queen Arete, with her sister an "exacter of justice".
Peak
English word name
"pointed top of the mountain; highest point of achievement"
An ambitious geographical name, associated with mountains and success. In the UK, however, this is a slang term, meaning "bad, disappointing".
Glen
Scottish
"a narrow valley"
Former cool-boy name now in middle-aged limbo, but with a nice naturey meaning to endear it to modern parents.
Creek
English word name
Intriguing, when seen as a water name a la River and Ocean; less appropriate if used as a reference to the Creek tribe of Native Americans. Other downsides are its resemblance to creak, as in creaky…
Cave
Word name
We have Cove and Canyon—why not Cave?
Glacier
Nature name, French
"ice"
Nature names are often associated with Spring and Summer, but Glacier is ideal for a winter baby.