Uncommon Place Names for Girls

Amara

Igbo, Sanskrit, Arabic

"grace, immortal, tribe"

Strong, attractive, and stylish, Amara is a true multicultural choice enjoying some popularity in both the US and the UK. In the US Top 1000 since the turn of this century, Amara has been holding…

Shiloh

Biblical place-name, Hebrew

"tranquil"

Cool meets Born Again meets Brad and Angelina, who made Shiloh an instant star when they chose it for their daughter. While Shiloh has risen from obscurity thanks to its celebrity baby use, it hasn't…

Adelaide

Variant of Adelheidis, German

"noble, nobility"

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by Britain's Princess Eugenie…

London

English place-name

"Capital city of England"

The capital of England makes a solid and attractive twenty-first-century choice in the US where it is currently in the Top 1000. Given to nearly 1000 girls and 200 boys each year, it is a unisex…

Vienna

Place-name: the capital of Austria

"forest stream; white foundation"

Vienna is one of the more popular of the European place-names, with a particularly pleasant sound, evoking elegant images of the Blue Danube, of castles and cafes, sweets and sausages and Strauss…

Solana

Spanish

"sunshine"

A bright and warm possibility for a summertime girl, Solana feels both soulful and fresh, distinctive and familiar. Originally adapted from the Spanish surname and Saint name, Solano, it entered the…

Virginia

Latin

"virginal, pure"

A literary name and a place name with a grand yet familiar feel, Virginia has been in the US Top 1000 since records began in the late 19th century. Also familiar in Spain, Brazil and Italy, recent…

Phoenix

Arizona place name and Greek

"dark red"

Phoenix is a New Age name symbolizing rebirth and immortality. It's also a place name, a color name, a mythological name, AND an animal name, combining several of today's hottest trends in one…

Paris

French place-name

Paris, a one-time mythical and Shakespearean boys' name, peaked in 2004 at Number 157 at least in part due to the highly publicized Paris Hilton. Michael Jackson used it for his daughter.

Winona

Sioux Indian

"firstborn daughter"

Rode two rockets to fame, with actress Winona Ryder and singer Wynonna Judd. Winona entered the Top 1000 for the first time since 1957 this past year in 2022, following in the footsteps of trending…

Dallas

Place name, surname and Irish

"meadow dwelling, valley house, skilled"

A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names…

Bristol

Place-name

"the site of the bridge"

Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, grabbed her own share of headlines after her pregnancy and having appearing on Dancing With The…

Milan

Italian place name or Slavic

"the middle of the plain; gracious, dear; union"

In many Slavic and other European countries, Milan is purely a boys’ name , but in the US, it's also popular for girls – no doubt inspired by the fashionable Italian city. It entered the Top 1000 for…

Denver

English or French place-name and surname

"green valley or from Anvers"

Yet another creative character name from Toni Morrison, Denver was a daughter of Sethe's in the novel Beloved . Today Denver is most familiar as the name of the largest city in Colorado, used almost…

Malaysia

Place-name

This evocative place-name is rising in popularity -- despite (or perhaps because of) the unfortunate association with an airplane that went missing in March 2014.

Aberdeen

Scottish place-name

This undiscovered Scottish port city name has a nice, upbeat feel and lots of good nickname possibilities.

Abilene

English from Hebrew

"grass"

Abilene is a rarely used place name, mentioned as such in the New Testament, that combines the cowboy spunk of the Texas city with the midwestern morality of the Kansas town where Dwight D.…

Acadia

Greek

"idyllic place"

Acadia, the French name for Nova Scotia and the name of a gorgeous national park in Maine makes a fresh, rhythmic choice for your little girl. Acadia is an original yet accessible member of the…

Adalia

Hebrew, German, "God is my refuge; noble one"

"God is my refuge; noble one"

Distinctive, elegant, and luxurious, Adalia can be a variation of Adele, or a Hebrew name with a Biblical background. Although it is given exclusively to girls in the US, in the Bible it is…