Place Names for Babies
- Imo
Origin:
Nigerian place nameDescription:
The rural Imo State in southeast Nigeria is named after the Imo River, which runs through it. An obscure but intriguing possibility as a first name.
- Manhattan
Origin:
Munsee Lenape, Native AmericanMeaning:
"place for gathering the [wood to make] bows"Description:
Manhattan is the smallest yet one of the most populous New York City boroughs. The area was historically inhabited by Munsee Lenape and Wappinger tribes of Native Americans, and the name Manhattan is derived from the Munsee Lenape language. Hickory trees that were used to make bows grew on the southern part of Manhattan, which inspired the term manaháhtaan, from the Munsee Lenape words for "gather" and "bow."
- Oxley
Origin:
English place nameMeaning:
"ox clearing"Description:
A little-used but equally cool alternative to Huxley and Loxley.
- Zealand
Origin:
English place name from DutchMeaning:
"sea land"Description:
Familiar-but-new and ultra-rare (for girls anyway), Zealand has a lot going for it with its spunky Z initial and globe-trotting vibes. Sparingly used for boys since the 2000s and even more occasionally used for girls since 2010, YouTube family The Labrants brought this name into the spotlight when they called their son Zealand in 2019.
- Eidin
Origin:
Welsh place nameDescription:
From Caeredin, the Welsh name for the Scottish capital, Edinburgh... although many people would see it simply as an alternative spelling of Aiden.
- Vicenza
Origin:
Italian place-nameDescription:
This name of an architecturally glorious Italian city makes a romantic and evocative possibility.
- Venezia
Origin:
Italian place-nameDescription:
This is the Italian way to say Venice -- Ven-ETZ-ee-a -- but you might also opt for the softer Venetia or Venice itself.
- Judea
Origin:
Biblical place name or variation of Judah, HebrewMeaning:
"praised"Description:
Judea — also spelled Judaea — is a mountainous region in the Middle East historically part of Jerusalem, that is significant in religions like Judaism and Christianity. As Jude and Judah dominate in the charts, and fresh Biblical place names like Jericho and Galilee feel stylish as ever, Judea holds a lot of potential.
- Fiji
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"place name"Description:
One of several fascinating names used in Charlaine Harris's Midnight, Texas books and the NBC adaptation thereof, Fiji is a pleasingly quirky place name that's been little used for babies. Though it has been used quite a lot for fancy bottled water, we don't think it quite qualifies as a water name.
- Meribah
Origin:
Biblical place name, HebrewMeaning:
"quarreling"Description:
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.
- Oakland
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
A Californian city name that feels like a natural successor to trendy unisex Oakley and Oaklynn.
- Tupelo
Origin:
Native American place-name and tree nameMeaning:
"swamp tree"Description:
Tupelo, the name of a Mississippi city as well as a tree with soft, light wood that grows in the swamps of the south, attracted some attention as a first name via author Tupelo Hassman. The song Tupelo Honey also brought it some notoriety.
- Brisbane
Origin:
Scottish surname and Australian place nameMeaning:
"break bone"Description:
Influencer couple Rachel and Jordan Flom put Brisbane on the baby name map when they used it for one of their triplet sons, born in 2024. Australian place names — from Adelaide to Sydney to Victoria — have long been favorites among parents, but Brisbane has a more modern, gender-neutral appeal.
- Ireland
Origin:
Place nameDescription:
This country name has come into steady use for girls in recent decades, and it's occasionally given to boys too. With interest in other -land names like Leland and Roland, we can see this patriotic heritage choice becoming more gender-balanced.
- Kiska
Origin:
Aleutian place nameDescription:
Kiska is a Alaskan volcano island that has the sort of brisk sound to it that makes it fit in with both old names like Saskia and modern names like Pax.
- Lima
Origin:
Spanish place name from QuechuaMeaning:
"speaker"Description:
The capital of Peru makes a rare but attractive girl name.
- Galway
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Associated with the poet and novelist Galway Kinnell, this name of an Irish city, county, and bay would make an evocative choice. For further literary cred, writers Liam O'Flaherty and Frank Harris both hail from Galway.
- Trinidad
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"holy trinity"Description:
Rhythmic name with both religious and geographical ties, commonly heard in Latin countries.
- Egypt
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
We had Egypt listed as a girls-only place-name until singer Alicia Keys and rap producer husband Swizz Beatz used it for their son...and why not? Egypt certainly works as well for a boy as for a girl.
- Jaffa
Origin:
Hebrew place-nameMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
A pleasant and adaptable place name for a part of Tel Aviv.