Names That Mean Place

  1. Penrose
    • Origin:

      Cornish and Welsh place name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "top of the heath"
    • Description:

      Penrose – an ancient place-name and surname derived from several villages in Cornwall, Wales, and the Welsh border country of England – would make for an even more unexpected alternative to quirky nature name Primrose. Intuitive nicknames Penny or Rosie make it feel more wearable.
  2. Leire
    • Origin:

      Basque place name
    • Description:

      Also spelled Leyre and taken from the name of a monastery fortress, the popular and lilting choice in Spain will pose pronunciation problems elsewhere. Among the Top 100 girls' names in Spain, Leire was given to only a handful of baby girls in the US last year.
  3. Montserrat
    • Origin:

      Catalan
    • Meaning:

      "serrated mountain"
    • Description:

      Montserrat is a Catalan name meaning ‘serrated mountain’. That may not be the most appealing meaning, but the exceptional beauty of the Montserrat mountain range near Barcelona, Spain might change your mind. Montserrat is, unsurprisingly, most common among the Spanish community.
  4. Arlington
    • Origin:

      English habitational surname, place name
    • Meaning:

      "the noble's town"
    • Description:

      Similar in sound to Arlo, Remington, and Arthur, this surname style and place name could make a patriotic choice in the US, with its connections to Arlington National Cemetery. Given to 14 girls and 24 boys in 2023, it is making moves up the charts, albeit small ones.
  5. Journee
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Journey, English word name
    • Meaning:

      "travel or passage from one place to another"
    • Description:

      With Journey becoming increasingly popular, it's no surprise that this alternative spelling is not far behind. However, you may be surprised to learn that in recent years, the Journee spelling has actually passed the original spelling in popularity — Journee is currently in the Top 200. This word name may be appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage.
  6. Arbel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew place name
    • Description:

      In Israel, Mount Arbel is a mountain in the lower Galilee. Jewish parents have adopted it as a name for their sons and daughters for the mountain's historic and religious significance.
  7. Elsinore
    • Origin:

      Danish place name
    • Description:

      The famous home of Hamlet in Shakespeare's great play is based on an actual castle in northern Denmark, which guarded the narrow entryway to the Baltic Sea for centuries. (The Danish word for it is Helsingør.) Elsinore may claim a rightful place among the Danish names for girls, vaguely akin to Eleanor, with Elsie a natural nickname, though some may find it a little pretentious. But as a middle name for the lover of Shakespeare or Copenhagen? Golden.
  8. Kipling
    • Origin:

      English surname and place name
    • Description:

      Kipling calls to mind writer Rudyard (b. Joseph) Kipling, author of the stories familiar to schoolchildren Gunga Din and The Jungle Story. Certainly, Kipling is a friendlier name than Rudyard these days, complete with cute short form Kip.
  9. Creighton
    • Origin:

      English and Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "hilltop town, rocky place"
    • Description:

      One instance where a phonetic spelling might be better.
  10. Barbossa
    • Origin:

      Portuguese surname
    • Meaning:

      "a place with many palm trees"
    • Description:

      Barbossa (also spelled Barbosa) is derived from the Barbosa palm. It is also a common place name, with towns called Barbossa spread across Latin America. Film buffs might also recall that Barbossa is the name of the captain of the Black Pearl in the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean".
  11. Everton
    • Origin:

      English place name
    • Meaning:

      "wild boar settlement"
    • Description:

      This geographical name, which belongs to an English Premier League football club, is popular in soccer-mad Brazil.
  12. Keaton
    • Origin:

      English place and surname
    • Meaning:

      "shed town"
    • Description:

      Keaton is an engaging surname name that's on the rise for both girls and boys. Some parents may use it to honor silent film star Buster Keaton or related to Diane Keaton, but others may see it as a stylish name in keeping with the Kardashian-influenced two-syllable n-ending surname names. Choices similar to Keaton include Keegan and Keenan.
  13. Guthrie
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "windy place"
    • Description:

      Guthrie, one of the most attractive Scottish names that's also a surname, has a particularly romantic, windswept aura, with a touch of the buckaroo thrown in.
  14. Tempe
    • Origin:

      Greek place name
    • Description:

      The Vale of Tempe is an important place in Greek mythology as well as a real place in Greece. The ancient poets wrote of it as the halcyon dwelling of Apollo and the Muses. The modern cities in Arizona and Australia are named for the Greek Tempe, which is pronounced tem-pee.
  15. Triana
    • Origin:

      Spanish place name
    • Description:

      Triana is a Top 50 girls' name in Spain largely unknown and unused in the US: Only 10 baby girls in the US were given the name in 2017. Also a surname, Triana is the name of a distinctive neighborhood of Seville that's known for being home to artists, flamenco dancers, and bullfighters. Its name comes from the Roman emperor Trajan, which means "three rivers". Some sources list Triana as a short form of Katherine, a variation of Trina, and you can use it that way to honor an ancestral Katherine.
  16. Lazuli
    • Origin:

      Persian place name
    • Description:

      Now deeply associated with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, Lazuli is derived from one of the places where the stone was first mined. The word Lazuli is the root for words like azure. Lapis Lazuli is a deep and rich blue color and was used for pigments and jewellery. Lazuli can be used for a boy or a girl.
  17. Lucca
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Luca; Italian place name
    • Description:

      This spelling is more unisex than either Luca or Luka, perhaps because it is also an Italian city name. However, it fell for both genders in 2021, as the Disney movie Luca sent that spelling skyrocketing.
  18. Nairobi
    • Origin:

      African place name
    • Description:

      The capital of Kenya makes a melodic and worldly name.
  19. Tibor
    • Origin:

      Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
    • Meaning:

      "of Tibur (Tivoli)"
    • Description:

      Commonly heard in Hungary and some Slavic countries, Tibor has a large measure of continental dash. The name derives from the Roman town of Tibur, now called Tivoli. It is a Top 100 pick for baby boys in its native Hungary.
  20. Galahad
    • Origin:

      Welsh or place name
    • Description:

      The son of Lancelot and Elaine in Arthurian legend, Galahad is the purest and most chivalrous of the Knights of the Round Table, and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail. The derivation of his name is unclear. It may come from Welsh Gwalchafed (hawk of summer) or "gwalch" + "cad" (hawk of battle), or it may be an anglicization of the place name Gilead in Palestine. Certainly a bold and brave choice for a baby boy!