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American Place Names

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Montana

    • Origin:

      Spanish place-name

    • Meaning:

      "mountainous"

    • Description:

      Overly trendy western place-name, as stated in the title of our book Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana.
  4. 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.

  5. 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."
  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. Cleveland

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "hilly land, from the cliff"

    • Description:

      A presidential and place-name that's not a stand-out in either category.
  8. Burbank

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "riverbank where burrs grow"

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      Miami -- or Florida, for that matter -- hasn't achieved the place-name stardom of southern sisters like Savannah and Georgia. Quincy Jones used it as his daughter KENYA's middle name.
  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. Florida

    • Origin:

      Place name and Spanish from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flowery"

    • Description:

      Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.
  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. Nevada

    • Origin:

      Spanish place-name

    • Meaning:

      "covered in snow"

    • Description:

      Named for its snowcapped mountains, Nevada is a state name which, unlike Carolina, Montana, and Dakota, has been relatively undiscovered. Warning: today's unvisited place-name could become tomorrow's trampled tourist attraction.
  14. 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.
  15. Albany

    • Origin:

      Scottish place name

    • Description:

      A capital place-name possibility.
  16. Louisiana

    • Origin:

      French place-name

    • Description:

      Louisiana is a geographic spin on the Louise theme. Pretty, if a bit of a syllable overload. Short form Lou or Lulu lightens it.
  17. Wyoming

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

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

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      A tough and rugged nature name.
  19. 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.
  20. Hawaii

    • Origin:

      Place-name

    • Description:

      An actual Hawaiian first name would convey the aura of the islands more originally and effectively.