American Place Names
- Chicago
Origin:
American place name, AlgonquinMeaning:
"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.
- Jersey
Origin:
English place name, Old NorseMeaning:
"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".
- Dayton
Origin:
English, variation of DeightonMeaning:
"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.
- Charleston
Origin:
American place-nameMeaning:
"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.
- Vermont
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"green mountain"Description:
Place-name waiting to be discovered.
- Baltimore
Origin:
Place name, English from IrishMeaning:
"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."
- California
Origin:
Place name, Spanish from ArabicMeaning:
"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.
- Florida
Origin:
Place name and Spanish from LatinMeaning:
"flowery"Description:
Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.
- Reno
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
- Fargo
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
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.
- Lexington
Origin:
English place nameDescription:
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.
- Richmond
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"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.
- Tulsa
Origin:
CreekMeaning:
"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.
- Rochester
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"stone camp or fortress"Description:
Rochester was Jack Benny's famous valet and sidekick, played by early African-American comic Eddie Anderson.
- Portland
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"land near the port"Description:
There are two lovely Portlands, in Maine and Oregon, but not many babies with their name.
- Burbank
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"riverbank where burrs grow"Description:
Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.
- Boulder
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
A tough and rugged nature name.
- Texas
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block. Old-school Western nickname: Tex.
- 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.
- Missouri
Origin:
Native AmericanMeaning:
"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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