Tabitha_Stone's list "City Names - England and Wales" of 19 great name ideas: undefined - undefined!

City Names - England and Wales

A list of names that are also the names of cities, towns, and/or villages in England and Wales.

Lincoln cracked the Top 50 for boys' names for the first time in 2016, more than 150 years after the death of its most famous bearer. This is especially remarkable because, as crazy as it seems now, Lincoln was deeply out of fashion as recently as the late 90s, consistently hovering near the bottom of the Top 1000. 

This admirable presidential choice with a stylish two-syllable sound projects the tall, rangy, upright, image of Honest Abe. Bill Murray is father to a son named Lincoln, and Kathryn Erbe's boy Carson has Lincoln for his middle name. Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard gender-bent it for their daughter. 
 Lincoln Steffens was an influential muckraking writer, author of The Shame of the Cities. Lincoln is also a Teen Mom name, which may have had some impact, and is a major character on TV's Broad City. 

Abraham Lincoln has also been a popular subject of fiction in his own right in recent years, having been the subject of revered short story writer George Saunders' first novel and an Academy Award winning movie by Steven Spielberg.
 The nickname Linc has a nice sixties 'Mod Squad' feel.

Lincoln

Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly.
 Chester was a Top 100 name in the US from the 1880s to 1929, gradually fading till it finally dropped off the list completely in 1995. But it's popular now in England and Wales, where it ranks in the Top 100

Chester has been seen on old TV shows like Gunsmoke and The Life of Riley, then reappeared later on The Nanny and The Wire. Chester Alan Arthur made it presidential, it was a World War II hero via Admiral Chester Nimitz, the comic world associates it with Chester Gould, creator of Dick Tracy, and it has modern musical ties to Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park.
 Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have a son named Chester.
 Nickname Chet has, like Hank, a friendly retro vibe.

Chester

Britney Spears put this old-fashioned surname name back on the map when she chose it as her son Sean's middle name, which the family uses as his first.
 One of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> of its genre, it's been heard on such TV shows as Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and The Wire. The most memorable bearer of the name is probably Preston Sturges (born Edmund), one of the leading screwball comedy writer/directors of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Preston

Chosen for their first son by musical couple Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, this Jamaican place and elegant British surname also boasts the more regal yet user-friendly short form, King. 
 Kingston offers clear evidence of the starbaby effect: it arrived on the popularity list in 2006, the year little Kingston Rossdale was born, and has risen since.

Kingston

The capital of England makes a solid and attractive twenty-first-century choice in the US where it is currently in the Top 1000. Given to nearly 1000 girls and 200 boys each year, it is a unisex option that has been in slow decline since its peak in 2013. Conjuring up images of Big Ben, red phone boxes, and the London Eye for some, but perhaps the rush hour commute and grey skies for others, London is far less popular in the UK and other English-speaking countries.
 There was a rich girl character named London Tipton — inspired by Paris Hilton — on the Disney TV series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody beginning in 2005 and Paris then named her daughter London in 2023, continuing the city name theme and nodding to her Disney Channel facsimile.
 the exact etymology of London is unknown, however theories suggest it was named for King Lud who once controlled the city and therefore means "Lud's Fortress", Lud possibly coming from Llud meaning "mist, haze" or "to acquire". A more recent suggestion is that it comes from a proto-Indo-European root, lendh meaning "sink", which was adapted into the Celtic noun londos meaning "subduing". Combined with a Celtic suffix to make it singular, the old name Londinjon could then mean "place that floods", reflecting the tidal element of the River Thames. Several other linguists and historians have suggested a variety of origins, all which reference the river in some way.

London

This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen.  Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more widely used for boys than for girls.

Carlisle

Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.

Brighton

Brisk, preppy York is an underused classic with the potential to really shine in the 21st century. It's most familiar as a place name — York is a city in England — and surname. New York City and State were named after the Duke of York.
 
The most notable York in history was an enslaved man who was the only Black member of Lewis and Clark's expedition. York was a key member of the journey, skilled in hunting, medicine, and other survival skills. He was also invaluable in Native American diplomacy. At the end of the expedition, Clark denied York's freedom and instead sold him black into slavery.
 
Despite the sad ending to York's story, he is an American hero with a name worthy of consideration.

York

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines after her pregnancy and having appearing on Dancing With The Stars. She subsequently (almost) single-handedly propelled her distinctive name, derived from the name of a city in England, into the Top 1000 and up the charts. 
 
A very rare name before 2008 when Palin's mother was chosen as the Republican's vice president running mate, Bristol had sky-rocketed by 2009 when it made the charts. The number of girls called Bristol doubled between 2007 and 2008 when it was given to 65 babies. The following year, it was seven times more popular again, given to around 440 girls.
 
Bristol Palin was named in honor of the Bristol Inn where her mother was employed, along with Bristol, Connecticut , and Bristol Bay, Alaska, where her father spent his childhood. Meaning "the site of the bridge", it could also be a nod to the English city and to American Independence Day, as the Bristol 4th July Parade in Rhode Island is one of the longest running celebrations of the event.
 
Bristol remains in the US Top 1000 but it had seen a decline in use in recent years. Given to 573 girls in a recent year (along with 11 boys), it is a slightly off-beat yet familiar choice.

Bristol

British place-name unlikely to evoke much passion in any baby namer. 

Lancaster

Bradford

For sailors or jazz lovers. Or smokers of menthol cigarettes. 

Newport

High-collared and straightlaced, with the deadly "Ox" nickname. 

Oxford

It's a hat, it's a race, and it's even been known to be a name. In Britain, it would be pronounced darby. 

Derby

One place-name that doesn't make the cut as a person name, associated with several commercial enterprises. We've seen it used by Chicago Cubs fans — Sheffield is the name of a major street bordering Wrigley Field.

Sheffield

Leicester is a distinguished male name of English origin, derived from the historic city and county in the East Midlands of England. The place name itself combines Old English elements, likely meaning 'camp' or 'fort of the Ligore people,' referring to an ancient Celtic tribe. As a given name, Leicester embodies a sense of heritage and nobility, often associated with the aristocratic connections of the city. While relatively uncommon as a first name, it carries distinctive British flair and sophistication. Those named Leicester may appreciate its unique sound, historical significance, and the subtle connection to English cultural heritage. This name might be chosen by parents with ties to the Leicester region or those seeking a distinguished, uncommon name with historical depth.

Leicester

Inventive way to honor a redheaded ancestor, though most people would mispronounce it reeding, making it sound to some kids like a school assignment: Redding is a preferable spelling. 

Reading

Brecon is a masculine name with Welsh geographic origins, taken from the market town and mountain range (Brecon Beacons) in southern Wales. The name evokes the rugged, natural beauty of the Welsh landscape and carries connotations of strength and endurance. As a given name, Brecon remains uncommon, appealing to parents seeking distinctive options with Celtic heritage. The name has a strong, crisp sound with its double-consonant beginning and clear ending. For those with Welsh connections, it offers a way to honor this heritage through a place name rich in history and natural significance. Brecon's rarity makes it stand out while still being straightforward to pronounce and spell in English-speaking countries.

Brecon

Gentle and southern-inflected, redolent of the North Carolina landscape. 