Names That Mean Place

Streamline it to Marsh, Mason, or Carson.

A pretty town in Scotland, named for its perfect horseshoe-shaped bay.

Jericho, a Biblical city, has popped in and out of the Top 1000 since 2013, never making it above the 900s. That means it's unlikely that Jericha, a feminization, will break into the mainstream anytime soon — perfect for parents on the hunt for a unique name with religious significance.

Though this Biblical place name is found among early American settlers, usually as a male name, today it sounds completely feminine. As a place name, its gender is mutable in any case. An unusual and intriguing Biblical option, albeit one with an unhappy meaning.

This dignified Old English surname was brought into the modern consciousness by author Armistead Maupin, who wrote the San Francisco stories Tales of the City. There was also a Civil War general named Lewis Armistead.

This beautiful lakeside town in southern New Zealand would make an unusual but wearable choice for a daughter. It benefits from having a great meaning, too.

Family surname or feminist statement name? Either way, this literary surname has a cool, current sound.

Mosley has seen a handful of uses — mostly among baby girls — since 2012, the year after Peyton Manning gave it to his daughter. It's much more familiar as a surname, such as that of novelist Walter Mosley.

Stiff and sedate surname name, despite its salty start.

The meaning of the place name Berian, in Pembrokeshire, is not known, but it may mean "plain" or "burial place". It would make an interesting -ian ending option for lovers of names like Julian and Adrian who want something a bit more off-the-beaten-track.

Arfon is a centuries-old name the area of north-west Wales closest to Anglesey (in Welsh, Môn), so its name literally means "facing Anglesey". Its main town is Caernarfon, "fortress in Arfon". It is sometimes used as a local pride name by parents with a connection to the area.

Daytona Beach is a city in Florida named after founder Matthias Day in 1870. It is well-known as the home of NASCAR's Daytona International Speedway, the racetrack which hosts the Daytona 500.

This Basque name, which derives the name of a small town, is less well known than its diminutive version Arantxa. The name comes from the Basque word aratza meaning thornbush.

Bryher, a homophone of Briar, is the name of an Isle of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall. It was the penname of novelist Annie Winifred Ellerman, who chose the name in honor of the island. Today, Bryher is seen as a girl name in Cornwall, where it is used as a variation of up-and-coming Briar.

A rarely used Nottinghamshire place name of the sort now being considered for girls.

This name of an attractive and arty California town could make an unusual but friendly choice.

Larsa was the name of a city-state in Sumer, an ancient Mesopotamian civilization. It is occasionally used as a baby name in Arabic-speaking cultures, as well as in Sweden, where Larsa is a feminization of Lars.

A preppy surname and place name derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Ælfweard "elf guardian" + the -by suffix, meaning "village, homestead". Ellerby feels like a quirkier Ellery or Emery.

Would make a difficult choice even for those with ties to the Virginia city or British county.

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.