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Place names

  1. Rainier

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "wise army"

    • Description:

      European royal name, and to Americans a place-name evoking the majestic mountain in Washington state.
  2. Raleigh

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "meadow of roe deer"

    • Description:

      Attractive North Carolina place-name and surname of explorer Sir Walter Raleigh. Distinctive, classy-but-approachable choice for either sex.
  3. Ravenna

    • Origin:

      Italian place-name

    • Description:

      Ravenna is a lovely, untouristed Italian place-name just waiting to be discovered. Renowned for its fantastic Byzantine mosaics, it's a city that has a rich historic and artistic heritage.
  4. Remington

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "place on a riverbank"

    • Description:

      Remington Steele was the perfect name for an upper-crust action hero on 1980s television. Now, Remington is catching fire along with a new generation of predatory baby boy names such as Hunter, Gunner, and Colt. Or you might consider it a unisex namewith a buttoned-up British feel and the friendly short form Rem or Remy.
  5. Rhodes

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "where roses grow"

    • Description:

      This is a name we've seen the potential of for some time now — A Greek island and a prestigious scholarship make for a preppy first name with the uber-stylish S ending. Needless to say we were not surprised that Rhodes cracked the Top 1000 in 2022, and we expect it to keep rising. Rhodes was recently chosen by actress Emma Roberts for her son, born in 2020.
  6. Sterling

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "of the highest quality"

    • Description:

      A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets. Sterling has several recent TV associations, with characters Roger Sterling (on Mad Men) and Sterling Archer (on Archer), and actor Sterling K. Brown (on This is Us).
  7. Troy

    • Origin:

      Greek, French

    • Meaning:

      "of Troyes"

    • Description:

      Troy shot to popularity as a first name in tandem with that of 1960s heartthrob Troy (born Merle) Donahue; its image has now, thanks in part to the Brad Pitt-starring epic, Troy, receded back to conjuring up the ancient site of the Trojan wars.
  8. Valencia

    • Origin:

      Spanish

    • Meaning:

      "brave, strong"

    • Description:

      This lovely orange-scented Spanish place-name would make an inventive namesake for an Aunt Valerie.
  9. Winston

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "wine's town"

    • Description:

      Long associated with the Churchill family and common in the West Indies, the distinguished Winston has tended to be neglected here. The exception was during the World War II period, when Winston Churchill was a towering figure and his name reached Number 234. It's now enjoying something of a renaissance.
  10. Wright

    • Description:

      Wright is a masculine name that originated as an English occupational surname referring to a craftsman or builder—specifically a woodworker or carpenter (from the Old English "wyrhta," meaning "worker"). As a first name, Wright carries strong traditional and artisanal connotations, suggesting skill, craftsmanship, and creation. It remains relatively uncommon as a given name, maintaining an air of distinction and uniqueness. The name has a strong, concise sound with its single syllable and consonant blend. Those named Wright might appreciate the name's connections to craftsmanship and its subtle suggestion that one can build or create their own path in life. Its surname-as-first-name style also reflects contemporary naming trends.

  11. Xavier

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "new house"

    • Description:

      Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."
  12. York

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "from the yew estate"

    • Description:

      Brisk, preppy York is an underused classic with the potential to really shine in the 21st century. It's most familiar as a place name — York is a city in England — and surname. New York City and State were named after the Duke of York.
  13. Zaria

    • Origin:

      African place-name, variant of Zahra, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "rose; to shine, to bloom"

    • Description:

      Zaria, the name of the Nigerian capital city, could be another Z name for parents to consider. It currently ranks lower than variations Zariah and Zariyah.