Place Names

Genova, also known in English as Genoa, is a major port in Liguria, Italy. Its attractive sound — combining elements of Genevieve and Nova — means it has occasionally appeared on the baby name charts, though it is very rare.

Introduced to the baby name lexicon by Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick when they used it as the middle name for their daughter Penelope. As they've proven, it's a nouveau way to honor a Scott.

While Maui was a male trickster god in Polynesian mythology, the well-known Hawaiian place name Maui can work for either gender.

This Scottish surname and Scottish and Australian place name has a pleasant airy and breezy sound to it. Camden mayor Lara Symkowiak chose the name for her daughter born in 2016.

A limerick is an often humorous form of poetry with five lines (the last of which is the punchline). Limerick could be a fun choice for families with Irish heritage or a good sense of humor.

Chenoa is the Native American name for the Kentucky River. This name has come into prominence as the stage name of Argentine singer María Laura Corradini Falomir. In the US it is given to a handful of girls each year.

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."

Luxor is just waiting to be discovered as a baby name. It has a lot going for it — an easy and fashionable nickname (hello, Lux!), unisex appeal, and a place name connection. Luxor is the modern-day name for the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes. It was derived from the Arabic term al-ʾuqṣur, referring to palaces or castles.

A town in Catalonia, sometimes used as a unisex name.

An unlikely place name today, but one that was found among enslaved people in the 1800s.

The Egyptian city of Luxor was the ancient city of Thebes, at one time the capital of Ancient Egypt. The name derives from the Arabic term al-ʾuqṣur, meaning "the palaces" or "castles."

Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, was given as a first name to two dozen girls and a handful of boys in 2022, popularized by a character in the popular Spanish Netflix crime drama La casa de papel / Money Heist.

Alaska is a state name that's gaining a following, along with Montana and Dakota. While it was used exclusively for girls in the 2020 US name statistics, there's no reason it can't work just as well for boys.

This delicate Umbrian place name would make a unique path to Ellie.

An extra feminized version of London, only recorded as a girl name in the US.

Unexplored Moroccan place name, conjuring up images of camels and palm trees and domed minarets.

Jakarta, the name of the capital and largest city of Indonesia, is located on the island of Java. Both Jakarta and Java could make interesting and unusual choices for a girl.

If you're looking for a really untouristed place name, Aquitaine could be it. Aquitaine is a region of France that includes both Bordeaux and Biarritz and is famous for such food and drink as its pates and cassoulets, Armagnac brandy and Bordeaux wines.

Lovely Italian island name, Kardashian style.