Place Names

The name of a rural communal area in Zimbabwe. Thandiwe Newton used it as a middle name for her son Booker.

The city name Dublin ultimately derived from Irish elements dubh, meaning "dark," and lind, "pool." The dark pool in question was a tidal pool behind Dublin Castle.

Both Soho and Noho--no-no.

This phonetic spelling variation of Israel was given to 17 baby boys in 2022, but the spellings Israel and even Izrael rank much higher.

Pronounced my-ORK-a, the name of this lovely Balearic Island, located in the Mediterranean, is one of the prettiest and most feminine of place names. The Spanish spelling is MALLORCA.

The name of a port town in Maine, named after the birthplace of one of its founders Alexander Shapleigh, of Kittery Court, Devon, England.

A city in Italy, or simply an alternative spelling of Barry.

This Canadian city name would make a unique but very wearable choice for a son or daughter. Cal is a good nickname — skip Gary.

A place name that became a heady way of life, and a rarely-if-ever-used baby name.

Iceland is a futuristic place name that works as well for babies as Ireland. We predict it's going to be one of the top baby names of 2050, along with other girl names that end in land, such as Scotland, Graceland, and Zealand.

Concord, Massachusetts is home to tranquil Walden Pond, and as a word name, concord has a harmonious meaning, making this a modern virtue name.

Ravello is an Italian town on the Amalfi Coast. It's a popular travel destination and was a favorite spot for many notable creatives, including Virginia Woolf, Greta Garbo, and Tennessee Williams.

The name of a Queens, New York neighborhood sounds like a lost-in-limbo girls' name such as LAVERNE.

The name of a parish in Louisiana, Avoyelles has the characteristics that make it a prime possibility for parents seeking a unique place name, especially if Louisiana or Cajun culture are significant. It has built-in nicknames Ava and Elle that could make it much more wearable.

Torille is the name of an Italian town, and is also found as a surname/

Reno Sweeney is the heroine of the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes, played on Broadway by Ethel Merman, Patti Lupone, and Sutton Foster. While Reno was not used for any baby girls in 2022, it's certainly a gender-neutral choice. Reno, Nevada is named for Civil War Union General Jesse Lee Reno. The name is said to be an anglicization of Reynaud or Reynold, which means "powerful counsel".

Transferred from the geographical name, Jerusalem is a sacred city in many religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is given to around a dozen babies of each sex per year in the US.

Derived from Caeredin, the Welsh name for the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. The origin of this name element is lost in the mists of time.