Place Names for Babies

Brad in a Brooks Brothers suit.

Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin's daughter Ireland opened up the map for names like Scotland, and now that it's been chosen by Kourtney Kardashian for her daughter Penelope's middle name -- in honor of daddy Scott Disick -- Scotland is sure to appear on more birth certificates. Can Scotlyn be far behind?

Venetia, the name of the region encompassing Venice, has a radiant, picturesque authenticity, as do the related Venezia and Venice.

What with Mason scooting up the charts, this attractive place-name, with its thick Georgia accent, could make a more distinctive alternative.

Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.

Sedona is an Arizona city name renowned for its beauty and tranquility, could translate into an agreeable baby name. As a name, Sedona is reminiscent of Sierra and Sienna.

To most Americans, Jena would be a sleeker spelling of Jenna, pronounced JEHN-a. But it can also be pronounced JEEN-a or, as the Arabic Jena, more like JAY-na. Actress Jena Malone says it the first way, but however you pronounce it, it's a perfectly pleasant if somewhat confusing name.

Western place-name that feels equally appropriate for both genders. Note: Natives say rhyme that second syllable with had, so it's not nehv-AH-da.

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.

Anglo parents are taking note of this Hispanic classic, thanks to actress Rosario Dawson and a character on Will & Grace. Poetic and powerful, it comes from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, or "Our Lady of the Rosary", Rosary referring to vocal and mental prayer in Catholicism, that reflect on the life of Christ and his Mother.

Names of classy places -- Aspen, Paris, and yes, Hampton -- are in favor with aspiring parents, though they don't always have the intended effect.

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.

High-collared and straightlaced, with the deadly "Ox" nickname.

The capital of Kenya makes a melodic and worldly name.

Traditionally a Scottish habitational surname, but today could be viewed as a mashup of Melanie or Melissa and Rose.

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.

With the fashions for tree names, place names, and nickname names, Derry is a three-way winner.

An attractive surname, but also the name of a popular cookie.

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.