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American Place Names

  1. Vermont

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "green mountain"

    • Description:

      Place-name waiting to be discovered.
  2. 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.

  3. 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.
  4. Texas

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block. Old-school Western nickname: Tex.
  5. Indiana

    • Origin:

      American place-name

    • Meaning:

      "land of the Indians"

    • Description:

      This state name emerged in the eighties along with westerners Dakota and Montana, and it's still used occasionally by high-profile parents such as Summer Phoenix and Casey Affleck. Action man Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) makes Indiana "Indy" forever cool for a boy.
  6. Washington

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "home of the Wassa people"

    • Description:

      Lincoln, Tyler, Taylor, Jackson, Jefferson, Harrison, McKinley, Grant, Kennedy, Carter -- yes. Washington -- probably not.
  7. Utah

    • Origin:

      American place name, Ute

    • Meaning:

      "people of the mountains"

    • Description:

      This would make a startling but likable choice; poet Dylan Thomas used it for a character in his play "Under Milk Wood."
  8. Fairbanks

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "bank along the pathway"

    • Description:

      Alaska's second most populous city makes a baby name with a preppy, even aristocratic, flavor.
  9. Philadelphia

    • Origin:

      Greek place-name

    • Meaning:

      "brotherly love"

    • Description:

      Place-name mentioned in the New Testament and not yet on the name map. Philadelphia Thursday was the character played by Shirley Temple in John Ford's 1948 "Fort Apache."
  10. 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.
  11. Albany

    • Origin:

      Scottish place name

    • Description:

      A capital place-name possibility.
  12. Atlanta

    • Origin:

      American place name from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "Atlantic Ocean"

    • Description:

      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 the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement, it has never been popular as a baby name despite sounding like one. Its peak popularity was in 1995, the year before Atlanta hosted the Olympic Games.

  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. 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."
  15. 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.
  16. Florida

    • Origin:

      Place name and Spanish from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flowery"

    • Description:

      Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.
  17. Maine

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Strong and spare state name, maybe better in the middle -- or for a boy.
  18. Reno

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
  19. Wyoming

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      A possibility for your li'l cowgirl.
  20. Boulder

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      A tough and rugged nature name.

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