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American Place Names

  1. Roswell

    • Description:

      Roswell is a masculine name with English origins, derived from an Old English surname that combines 'rose' (the flower) and 'well' (a spring or water source). The name gained some recognition in the United States after the alleged UFO incident in Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947, which added a mysterious dimension to its appeal. As a first name, Roswell has remained relatively uncommon, appealing to parents seeking distinctive names with historical roots. It conveys a sense of strength and uniqueness while maintaining its connection to natural elements. The name can be shortened to Ross, providing a more conventional nickname option.

  2. Reno

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
  3. 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.
  4. Colorado

    • Origin:

      Spanish place-name

    • Meaning:

      "colored red"

    • Description:

      More unusual than Dakota or Austin, Colorado conjures images of majestic mountains and windswept wilderness. Some will prefer the more preppy Aspen, but Colorado feels like the true explorer.
  5. Juneau

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Juneau could go either way as a name. The newfound fame of the movie heroine Juno knocks this unrelated though identical-sounding Alaskan name out of consideration for boys, for the moment. Though (male) writer Junot Diaz may put the sound-alike name back in the running for boys.
  6. Houston

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "Hugh's town"

    • Description:

      Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas? Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.
  7. 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."
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. Hawaii

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      An actual Hawaiian first name would convey the aura of the islands more originally and effectively.
  12. 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."
  13. 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."
  14. Boulder

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      A tough and rugged nature name.
  15. 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.
  16. Cleveland

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "hilly land, from the cliff"

    • Description:

      A presidential and place-name that's not a stand-out in either category.
  17. 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.
  18. Columbus

    • Origin:

      Variation of Columbo or Columbia, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dove"

    • Description:

      This is a big name, both in heritage and sound. On the right child, this could be inspired, but others may shrink from all the connotations. While your preferred nickname for this option might be Col (or Kit if you're connecting it to Christopher Columbus), you may end up with the slightly more cumbersome "Bus" as the short-form.
  19. Vermont

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "green mountain"

    • Description:

      Place-name waiting to be discovered.
  20. Burbank

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "riverbank where burrs grow"

    • Description:

      Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.

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