American Place Names
- Miami
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
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.
- Columbus
Origin:
Variation of Columbo or Columbia, LatinMeaning:
"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.
- 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.
- Boise
Description:
Boise as a masculine name takes inspiration from the city of Boise, Idaho, which itself derives from the French word "boisé" meaning "wooded." This place name has occasionally been adopted as a personal name, particularly in the United States where geographic names often inspire parents. As a first name, Boise carries a strong connection to the American West and evokes natural imagery of forests and mountain landscapes. The name has a short, clear pronunciation (BOY-see) and a distinctive sound that sets it apart from more common names. Extremely rare as a given name, Boise might appeal to parents with a connection to the Idaho capital city or those seeking an uncommon name with an outdoorsy, place-based association and simple spelling.
- 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.
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