Place Names

Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.

This name of an old Armenian city, might sound a little too masculine for use here. Variations include the more feminine Garine and Karine.

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

Pilgrimage site in Italy.

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

Cam and Kam names, led by Camila, are hot right now — time to add Cambria and Kambria to the list of possibilities.

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

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.

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

New Yorkers will recognize this as a Bronx place name, others will see it as a gussied-up female version of Morris.

LeeLee Sobieski, who knows a thing or two about unique names, chose this spelling twist for her daughter. Does the extra n make it more of a name and less of a place, or more of an invention and so less authentically appealing? Your call.

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.

Caer Dathyl, whose name is of obscure origin, is a fortress mentioned in the medieval Mabinogi tales, and re-used by Lloyd Alexander in his Welsh-inspired Chronicles of Prydain.

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

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.

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".

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.

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