State Names California Edition

Rush

English

"basket weaver"

Might suggest speed, excitement, even danger, were it not for its best-known bearer, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh.

Stanislaus

Slavic

"someone who achieves glory or fame"

Stanislaus is a masculine name with Slavic origins, particularly common in Polish culture where it's spelled Stanisław or Stanislav. The name combines two elements meaning 'to become' and 'glory,'…

Stockton

Stockton is a masculine name derived from an English surname and place name, originally denoting someone from a settlement built around a tree stump or log (from Old English 'stocc' meaning 'tree…

Sutter

English surname and occupational name

"shoemaker"

Sutter is a new entry to the fashionable class of occupational surnames, brought to the fore by the hero of the 2013 indie film The Spectacular Now. More masculine than Sutton and more distinctive…

Trout

Word name

Yes, nature lovers are starting to name their children after all forms of life, including fish, but consider carefully before you cast your line into these tease-infested waters.

West

Word name

West is the most fashionable of what you might call the direction names, with North and East (or Easton and Easter) coming up behind, and South not yet on the map. Country singer Randy Houser named…

Woodland

English

"wooded place"

Woodsy names for boys are hotter than ever, so we wouldn't be surprised if Woodland gets picked up by unique baby name hunters in the coming years.

Colorado

Spanish place-name

"colored red"

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.

Smith

English occupational name

"blacksmith"

Even if it is the Number one surname in the U.S.--with more than 2.5 million bearers--we still think that Smith would make a cool first or middle name, whether or not it has family history. Though…

Owens

Welsh and Irish surname

"son of Owen / Eoghan"

This surname is on trend with its S ending, and could honor people such as athlete Jesse Owens. But it has strong potential for confusion with Owen singular.