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American Place Names

  1. Chicago
    • Origin:

      American place name, Algonquin
    • Meaning:

      "wild garlic"
    • Description:

      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 hometown. The name Chicago derives from a Native American word for "wild garlic," which once grew plentifully in the Illinois city, the third most populous in the US.
  2. Jersey
    • Origin:

      English place name, Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "Geirr's island"
    • Description:

      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 though it is now in decline, 130 girls and nearly 50 boys received the name in 2023.

      -ey meaning "island". Alternative theories suggest it comes from jarl ,meaning "earl" or hjǫr meaning "sword".
  3. Dayton
    • Origin:

      English, variation of Deighton
    • Meaning:

      "place with a dike"
    • Description:

      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.
  4. Charleston
    • Origin:

      American place-name
    • Meaning:

      "Charles' town"
    • Description:

      Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used it for his daughter.
  5. Vermont
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "green mountain"
    • Description:

      Place-name waiting to be discovered.
  6. Baltimore
    • Origin:

      Place name, English from Irish
    • Meaning:

      "town of the big house"
    • Description:

      With place names extending their range, this is an unmapped possibility, though a bit stiff. Baltimore, Maryland was named after Cecil Calvert, the 2nd Baron Baltimore. Baltimore is ultimately derived from the Irish Baile an Tí Mhóir, meaning "town of the big house."
  7. California
    • Origin:

      Place name, Spanish from Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "land of Califia, land of the caliph"
    • Description:

      Has not caught on as much as other Golden State place-names — Sierra, Marin, West, or even Francisco — probably because of its length.
  8. Florida
    • Origin:

      Place name and Spanish from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "flowery"
    • Description:

      Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.
  9. Reno
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
  10. Fargo
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      Fargo as a baby name? Though we haven't heard of any babies named for this frigid North Dakota city, it's certainly on the map of possibilities.
  11. Lexington
    • Origin:

      English place name
    • Description:

      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. Lexington, Kentucky, in horse country, is another well-known city with the name. Short form Lex is user friendly.
  12. Richmond
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "powerful protector"
    • Description:

      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.
  13. Tulsa
    • Origin:

      Creek
    • Meaning:

      "old town"
    • Description:

      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.
  14. Rochester
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "stone camp or fortress"
    • Description:

      Rochester was Jack Benny's famous valet and sidekick, played by early African-American comic Eddie Anderson.
  15. Portland
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "land near the port"
    • Description:

      There are two lovely Portlands, in Maine and Oregon, but not many babies with their name.
  16. Burbank
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "riverbank where burrs grow"
    • Description:

      Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.
  17. Boulder
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      A tough and rugged nature name.
  18. Texas
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block. Old-school Western nickname: Tex.
  19. Erie
    • Description:

      Erie is an uncommon feminine name with multiple potential origins. It may derive from the Erie Native American tribe and the Great Lake named after them, giving it a natural, geographical connection. The name could also relate to the Old English 'eerie,' meaning fearful or mysterious, though this association is less common. As a given name, Erie has remained quite rare throughout history, never achieving widespread popularity. It offers a concise, distinctive option for parents seeking a name with natural connections that's easy to spell and pronounce. The name's brevity and open 'e' ending give it a light, airy quality that feels both distinctive and unpretentious.

  20. Missouri
    • Origin:

      Native American
    • Meaning:

      "Dugout canoe"
    • Description:

      Missouri, the name of a tribe, a state and a river, derives from the Illinois word mihsoori meaning "dugout canoe". It became a somewhat popular American girls' name in the mid-19th century.

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